ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the forthcoming judicial review of the Government's proposed badger cull will result in a delay to the issuing of licences to kill badgers to landowners by Natural England.

James Paice: The judicial review does not prevent us from continuing to plan for an autumn start to the piloting of our badger control policy. Natural England will process any licence applications but do not plan to issue any licences until the outcome of the judicial review is confirmed.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the size of the badger population will be calculated in areas which will have pilot culls of badgers to control bovine tuberculosis.

James Paice: Natural England will estimate the badger population in an area based on information provided by the applicants and other available evidence, such as relevant data from the Independent Scientific Group (ISG) Report—“Bovine TB: The Scientific Evidence. Final Report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB”. DEFRA has confirmed that it is to conduct a national survey of the badger population. This coupled with Natural England's own survey work and the survey work being undertaken on behalf of the farmers in the pilot areas will provide useful information of the state of the population.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what risk assessment her Department has conducted in respect of the effect on public safety of controlled shooting of badgers in piloted areas.

James Paice: In order to obtain a licence, operators will be required to attend an approved training course and demonstrate competence. Safety and security are key elements of these training courses, and evidence of successful completion of the course will be necessary before any person can carry out badger control under a badger culling licence. They will also need to adhere to the Best Practice Guidance for the controlled shooting of free-ranging badgers in the field. Compliance with this guidance will be a condition of a licence and those acting under licence must ensure that all licence conditions are complied with. DEFRA are working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss the role the police can play in ensuring public and operator safety. Local police forces will be fully involved in planning and coordinating culling in the two pilot areas.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service: Closures

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make an assessment of the implications of the closure of the Crown Prosecution Service office at Athena House, York, for the administration of justice and of its potential effect on victims of crime.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Yorkshire and Humberside is currently considering consolidating most of its operations in the counties of West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire into its office in Leeds. In relation to North Yorkshire, the proposal is to retain a CPS office in central York.
	The proposal will enable the quality of service to be maintained and bring increased resilience at a time when staff numbers are reducing considerably across the area, particularly in York, the smallest of the three offices in North and West Yorkshire. In addition digital working will complement the consolidation of the area's operations as more files will be served more quickly by electronic means.
	Wide consultation has taken place with the key local criminal justice system partners, staff and management, including trade unions. The informal consultation period closed on 3 May 2012. A formal assessment of the proposal is still under consideration and no final decision has been made.

Drugs: Crime

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Attorney-General how many residents of (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, (b) Middlesbrough Local Authority and (c) Redcar and Cleveland Local Authority were prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service for (i) possession of, (ii) possession with intent to supply of, (iii) supplying and (iv) producing a (A) class A drug, (B) class B drug and (C) class C drug in each year since 2007.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the place of residence of the defendants they prosecute. These data could only be obtained by examining all of the CPS's files, which would incur a disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

Blue Badge Scheme: Berkshire

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Blue Badge permits for disabled drivers were issued in (a) Reading borough council and (b) West Berkshire council area in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: Figures are available at local authority level on a financial year basis from 2008/09 onwards. The following table shows:
	(i) the number of disabled parking badges (blue badges) issued during each year, and
	(ii) the number of valid blue badges on issue at the end of each year.
	
		
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 (i) Blue badges issued during year in    
			 (a) Reading 1,964 1,774 1,833 
		
	
	
		
			 (b) West Berkshire 1,993 2,191 2,109 
			     
			 (ii) Total blue badges on issue at end of year in    
			 (a) Reading 4,617 5,220 4,655 
			 (b) West Berkshire 5,752 6,034 6,277 
			 Source: DFT Disabled Parking Badge Survey, table DIS0108: http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/dis0108.xls 
		
	
	Figures for the 2011/12 financial year are currently being compiled and are scheduled for publication in November 2012.

Departmental Staff

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many jobs formerly in her Department and its agencies and non-departmental bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.

Norman Baker: There are no jobs in the Department for Transport, its agencies or non-departmental public bodies which were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.

Mobility Scooters

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to license mobility scooters.

Norman Baker: There are no plans to require users of mobility scooters to hold the equivalent of a driving licence. However, both new and second-hand Class 3 vehicles are required to be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Mobility Scooters

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents involved mobility scooters in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: Road casualty statistics do not currently include mobility scooters as a separate vehicle category. However, I am pleased that from 2013, the police will be able to record whether an accident on the public highway has involved a mobility vehicle.
	In 2010, the Department commissioned an Office of National Statistics Opinions omnibus survey of public attitudes towards mobility scooter users. It included a question about the extent to which their use may have caused injuries to people. The survey found that 17% of those interviewed either had been injured or knew someone who had been injured by a mobility scooter.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many registered vehicle owners paid their vehicle road fund licence (a) six monthly and (b) annually in the last year for which figures are available; and how much additional revenue was generated for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by people paying for six monthly licences.

Norman Baker: Information is only available about the number of six and 12-month vehicle licences issued. In the financial year 2011-12, the DVLA issued 20,585,767 six-month vehicle licences and 25,501,639 12-month licences. The DVLA does not hold information on how much additional revenue was generated by people purchasing six-month vehicle licences.

Roads: Accidents

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information her Department holds on the number of road traffic accidents which were due to a driver being distracted by smoking in the last 12 months.

Norman Baker: The information requested is not available.
	However, Table RAS50001, in the DfT publication “Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain: annual report 2010” shows the number and proportion of reported personal injury road accidents which had “Distraction in vehicle” recorded as a contributory factor, in Great Britain in 2010. Table RAS50001 can be found using the following link:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/ras50001/
	Note that Contributory factors are reported only for injury road accidents where a police officer attended the scene and reported at least one contributory factor. These factors are largely subjective, reflecting the attending officer's opinion at the time of reporting. It is recognised that subsequent enquires could lead to the reporting officer changing their opinion.

Roads: Accidents

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclist fatalities there were in road traffic accidents in Reading West constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Norman Baker: There were no cyclists killed in reported personal injury road accidents in Reading West constituency in the last 10 years for which data are available.

Roads: Accidents

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents there were in Reading West constituency in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those accidents involved (a) cyclists and (b) motorbikes.

Norman Baker: The information requested is given in following table:
	
		
			 Number of personal injury road accidents in Reading West constituency (1) , 2001-10 
			   Number of accidents involving 
			  All accidents (a) Pedal cyclists (b) Motorcyclists 
			 2001 299 28 57 
			 2002 321 37 64 
			 2003 310 39 48 
			 2004 262 37 47 
			 2005 268 28 34 
			 2006 248 27 35 
			 2007 239 31 39 
			 2008 215 32 23 
			 2009 238 44 24 
			 2010 205 36 32 
			 (1 )Based on 2010 parliamentary boundaries.

Transport: Disability

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of provisions for disabled access to transport in Reading West constituency; and what steps she is taking to improve access.

Norman Baker: The Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has made no recent assessment of the adequacy of provisions for disabled access to transport in Reading. Reading, like other towns, will benefit from the increase in the number of accessible buses and trains that are required by regulation. In addition, a number of access improvements have been made at Pangbourne, Theale and Tilehurst stations.

DEFENCE

Army

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of regular army units are stationed permanently in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) overseas countries.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 14 May 2012
	As at 10 May 2012, there are a total of 148 major regular army units stationed permanently in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and overseas countries. A breakdown, by location, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Location Number of units Proportion (Percentage) 
			 England 99 66.9 
			 Wales 3 2.0 
			 Scotland 4 2.7 
			 Northern Ireland 6 4.1 
			 Overseas countries 36 24.3 
		
	
	These figures incorporate three units currently located in Northern Ireland that are planned to disband during the course of 2012.

Falkland Islands

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Government spent on defence of the Falkland Islands in each of the past five years; and how much it plans to spend in each of the next three years.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 14 May 2012
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 March 2012, Official Report, columns 324-25W, to the right hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Mr Murphy).

Departmental Staff

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs formerly in his Department and its agencies and non-departmental bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 14 May 2012
	The number of Ministry of Defence civil servants who transferred with their work to private sector organisations due to the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 during the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 was 850.

Military Aircraft

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what types of fixed-wing aircraft are used by the Royal Navy; and how many of each type are in use.

Peter Luff: holding answer 14 May 2012
	The Royal Navy operates 10 Hawk T1 aircraft. In addition, the Royal Navy currently uses five Grob Tutor and four King Air aircraft supplied under a commercial agreement.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Reading

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes have been (a) started and (b) completed in Reading West constituency since May 2010.

Grant Shapps: Data are not available by constituency area. There were 161 affordable homes started and 128 completed in Reading borough council between April 2010 and September 2011, the latest period for which data are available, as reported in the Homes and Communities Agency's six-monthly National Housing Statistics.
	These statistics only cover affordable housing that is delivered through the Homes and Communities Agency's affordable housing programmes; affordable housing delivered outside these programmes is not included. Housing starts cover new build starts only while completions include both new build and acquisitions.
	Total affordable completions, including those delivered outside the Homes and Communities Agency's programmes, are published annually in the Department's Affordable Housing Supply statistics available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/affordablehousingsupply/livetables/

Civil Disorder

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Government plans to publish its response to the final report of the Riots Communities and Victims Panel.

Bob Neill: We are looking seriously at all the panel's findings and will respond on those actions aimed at Government in due course.

Local Government: Debt Collection

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has estimated the potential change in the level of work for firms of bailiffs commissioned from local authorities in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14 compared to 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: This information is not held centrally.
	No assessment has been made on this, as it is for local authorities to decide the level of work they contract out to bailiff companies.
	That notwithstanding, the use of bailiffs should be a last resort, they should not be commissioned disproportionately and councils should take direct responsibility for ensuring they abide by acceptable practices.

Public Houses: Regulation

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made in reducing the regulatory burden on community pubs; and what recent discussions or other communications he has had with pub companies or their representatives on this issue.

Bob Neill: The Government is, through the Red Tape Challenge, removing or amending a number of burdensome and unnecessary rules, which will directly benefit pubs. These include simplifying alcohol licensing forms, decentralising temporary event notices, revoking smoke-free sign regulations and rationalising the rules around weights and measures. In addition, Lord Clement Jones' Live Music Bill will make it easier for pubs to host live music performances.
	The Localism Act is making it easier for small firms, including pubs, to claim small business rate relief, and gives councils new powers to levy discretionary business rate discounts—which could, for example, be used to support local pubs.
	In my capacity as Minister for Community Pubs, I have had discussions with the majority of the major pub companies and their representative organisations over the course of the last year.

Risk Assessment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what strategic or transitional risk registers in each area of policy are held by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: All public bodies for which my Department is responsible have and maintain risk registers including, for example, board-level registers, sub-committee level registers and registers for those bodies undergoing significant reform. A list of all registers held could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to issue new guidance to the Planning Inspectorate on onshore wind farms; and what will be included in any such guidance.

Bob Neill: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government's planning policies for England, including for renewable energy, and how these are expected to be applied. Having published the Framework, we will now consider what underpinning guidance continues to be needed.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at what point a wind farm development is considered to be in planning stage.

Bob Neill: The term ‘planning stage’ does not have a statutory definition and can have a number of meanings. To be considered by the decision-making body, development proposals including those for wind farms must have been formally submitted and accepted as valid.

TREASURY

Business: Loans

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to require banks to publish anonymised data showing the (a) amount and (b) geographical location of lending; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Banks already provide a range of information on lending and the geographical location of such lending. For example, as part of the British Banker Association (BBA) Better Finance Taskforce, the BBA committed to publishing an enhanced SME lending dataset that would include a regional breakdown. The first dataset was published on 20 March 2012 and will be published on a quarterly basis. The data include value of overdraft and loan balances, number and value of approved applications for new or increased loan and overdraft facilities, value of new or increased loans drawn down and value of loan repayments. These data can be found on the BBA website:
	http://www.bba.org.uk/statistics/article/banks-support-for-smes-july-to-december-2011

Dogs

David Blunkett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department defines guide dogs and other assistance dogs to be working dogs; and for what reason dogs are defined as working dogs based on the food they consume rather than the role they do.

David Gauke: HMRC does not specify a definition of working dogs for the purpose of determining the VAT treatment of their food. It is the type of food which determines the VAT treatment. Dog food which is suitable for all types of dogs is standard rated as pet food. However, specially formulated dog food (other than biscuit or meal) which is held out for sale exclusively for any type of working dog, is not treated as pet food and is therefore zero-rated for VAT. If this specially formulated food is suitable for guide dogs and other assistance dogs, it will already benefit from the zero-rate.

Gangmasters

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many gangmasters have been convicted of offences related to abuses of (a) VAT and (b) PAYE in each of the last three years.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs does not hold the information requested. Its records of convictions for offences related to VAT and PAYE are not broken down to show the types of businesses involved.

Income Tax

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the income tax paid in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12 by the 1,000 richest individuals; and what percentage this represented of total UK income tax paid in those years.

David Gauke: Estimates of the income tax liabilities of individuals at different income levels are published on the HMRC website in Table 2.5 ‘Income tax liabilities, by Income Range, 2009-10 to 2012-13’:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2-5.xls
	These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data projected in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2012 economic forecast. Figures are included for those with an annual income of £2 million or more.
	Attention is drawn to the publication accompanying these statistics, specifically pages 53-54, which focuses on the projection of incomes of very high earners beyond 2009-10 and the allowances made for behavioural responses to changes in the income tax system that came into effect during the projection period:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/liabilities-april2012.pdf

Income Tax

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the income tax revenues lost as a result of the relocation of British citizens working in the IT, consulting and banking sectors to Switzerland in 2010.

David Gauke: There are no data available on the amount of income tax lost as a result of the relocation of British citizens to other countries.

Tax Allowances: Charitable Donations

Harriet Harman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the likely revenue to the Exchequer from the cap on tax relief for philanthropic activity as a result of his proposal;
	(2)  whether he has made an assessment of the effect of his proposed cap on tax relief for philanthropic activity on arts organisations (a) nationally, (b) in London, (c) in England outside of London and (d) in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

David Gauke: The Government announced at Budget 2012 a proposal to introduce a limit on all previously uncapped income tax reliefs from April 2013. This included the charitable reliefs for Gift Aid, Payroll Giving and gifts of land and shares.
	Costings approved by the Office for Budget Responsibility were published in the budget in table 2.1 (page 50) at the following link:
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_complete.pdf
	We estimate the philanthropic element of this to be £50 million to £100 million. The Government has clearly stated its intention that those charities which rely on large donations are not significantly affected. To this end discussions with stakeholders from the charity sector are currently taking place to better understand any impacts. This will inform a formal consultation on the delivery of the measure over the summer.

VAT

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions he had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health, (b) the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and (c) Ministers in the devolved administrations on the likely effect of introducing VAT on sports nutrition drinks;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential effect of introducing VAT on sports nutrition drinks on participation levels in healthy and sporting activities;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the potential effect of introducing VAT on sports nutrition drinks on the sales of such drinks and the supply chain of such products.

David Gauke: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	As was the case with previous Administrations it is not the Government's policy to release details of all such meetings.
	Annex B—Tables of Impact for Individual Measures—in HM Revenue and Customs consultation document ‘VAT: Addressing Borderline Anomalies’, published at Budget 2012, sets out estimates for VAT which will be raised from sports nutrition drinks and a summary of impacts upon which comments are invited:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/vat-con-4801.pdf

VAT

Harriet Harman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an assessment of the effect of his proposed changes to VAT charged on approved alterations on (a) listed buildings that are places of worship and (b) other listed buildings.

David Gauke: Annex B—Tables of Impact for Individual Measures in HM Revenue and Customs consultation document “VAT: Addressing Borderline Anomalies”, published at Budget 2012, sets out estimates for VAT which will be raised from approved alterations to listed buildings.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/vat-con-4801.pdf
	The Government is committed to ensuring that listed places of worship are not adversely affected by the Budget proposal. We are currently involved in constructive discussions with the church authorities about how to achieve this. We have already committed to expanding the listed place of worship scheme that in part refunds churches for the VAT they already pay on repairs, and if needed we will go further in order to address the impact on churches and other places of worship.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Risk Assessment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what strategic or transitional risk registers in each area of policy are held by the Government Equalities Office; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: As of 1 April 2011, the Government Equalities Office has been part of the Home Office and is no longer a separate Government Department. The information requested will be provided by the Minister for Immigration, the hon. Member for Ashford (Damian Green), in response to the hon. Gentleman’s question to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May).

Trade Unions

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities 
	(1)  how many trade union representatives in the Government Equalities Office had (a) part-time and (b) full-time paid facility time arrangements in 2011-12;
	(2)  how many days were utilised for paid facility time by each trade union representative in the Government Equalities Office in 2011-12; and at what cost to the public purse;
	(3)  how many days were utilised for paid facility time by each trade union representative in the Government Equalities Office for trade union (a) duties and (b) activities in 2011-12;
	(4)  if she will place in the Library copies of the facility time agreements between trade unions and the Government Equalities Office.
	(5)  how many trade union representatives in the Government Equalities Office have faced disciplinary action for abusing paid facility time or public resources in each of the last five years;
	(6)  how many meetings have taken place between the Government Equalities Office and trade union representatives utilising paid facility time in each of the last five years to discuss (a) collective bargaining, (b) redundancies, (c) negotiations relating to employment, pay and conditions and (d) other trade union and industrial relations duties; and what the dates and times were of each meeting;
	(7)  on how many occasions trade union representatives from the Government Equalities Office have utilised paid facility time to represent an employee at a meeting or other industrial relations matter in each of the last five years.

Lynne Featherstone: As of 1 April 2011, the Government Equalities Office has been part of the Home Office and is no longer a separate Government Department. The information requested will be provided by the Minister for Immigration, the hon. Member for Ashford (Damian Green), in response to the hon. Lady’s question to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May).

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many people he has allocated to work on the (a) super-connected and (b) local broadband plans.

Edward Vaizey: There are currently 3.5 full-time equivalent people working on super-connected cities. Local broadband plans are prepared by local authorities with support from the Broadband Delivery UK projects team. There are 10 full-time equivalent people in Broadband Delivery UK carrying out this role.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what support he is offering to super-connected cities on state aid issues.

Edward Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK will work with super-connected cities on state aid issues once they have undertaken further work to define their proposed project outputs and routes for procurement and delivery.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what correspondence Broadband Delivery UK has had with Newcastle City Council; and on what dates.

Edward Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK has been in regular communication with Newcastle city council throughout their bid to become a super-connected city, including correspondence surrounding their bid, feedback on their bid and subsequent support to achieve super-connected city status.

Broadcasting

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether Ofcom (a) has the power and (b) is under any obligation to report to the devolved administrations within the UK on the state of investment for infrastructure, coverage and service within the devolved nations.

Edward Vaizey: The Digital Economy Act 2010 gave Ofcom a new duty to report to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport every three years on the state of the UK's communications infrastructure. The report considers the coverage, capacity and resilience of the main public networks and services available in the UK, which includes fixed line and mobile telephony, and broadband, digital radio and digital terrestrial TV. The report considers them from both a UK-wide perspective and at the level of county/unitary authority. The UK Communications Infrastructure Report 2011 was published for the first time last November.
	Apart from the UK Communications Infrastructure Report, for the last eight years Ofcom has published an annual Communications Market Report containing statistics and analysis of the UK communications sector, The report is published to support Ofcom's regulatory goal to research markets constantly and to remain at the forefront of technological understanding. It also fulfils the requirements on Ofcom under Section 358 of the Communications Act 2003 to publish an annual factual and statistical report, and addresses the requirement to undertake and make public Ofcom's consumer research as set out in Sections 14 and 15 of the same Act. For the last six years companion reports for each of the UK's nations have been published alongside the UK Communications Market Report.

Broadcasting

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to ensure that broadcasters in the devolved nations within the UK meet their coverage obligations within those territories.

Edward Vaizey: The public service terrestrial television broadcasters are required to substantially match their historic analogue coverage levels in digital form following the completion of digital switchover. This requirement is contained in the BBC Agreement with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the case of the BBC's principal television services, and through licence conditions in the case of other services which are licensed by Ofcom. Detailed technical coverage plans (including required transmitter locations and power levels) have been developed by Ofcom in conjunction with the broadcasters in order to meet this objective.
	The switchover process is now complete in Scotland and Wales, where the broadcasters have adopted all of their required digital transmitter sites. Switchover will take place in a similar manner in Northern Ireland during October of this year. Estimated digital terrestrial coverage levels in each UK nation have been published by Ofcom in their “Fact sheet on coverage No. 3”, which is available at:
	http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/other/tv-research/dsoind/factsheets/>

Direct Selling

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether unsolicited international calls can be covered by the Telephone Preference Service.

Edward Vaizey: Unsolicited marketing calls, which are made from abroad on behalf of UK companies, are already covered by the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has responsibility for enforcement of the TPS and is able to issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches of the PECR. Unsolicited international calls not made on behalf of UK companies would be outside any UK jurisdiction.

Radio Frequencies: Mobile Phones

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what information his Department holds on Ofcom's policy on 4G bidder obligations in (a) the UK and (b) the devolved nations in respect of (i) population and (ii) geographic coverage.

Edward Vaizey: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom).
	In its recent consultation on the award of the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum, Ofcom invited stakeholder views and evidence on the merits of requiring any 800MHz licensee with a coverage obligation to provide a certain minimum level of coverage in each nation of the UK, as well as across the UK as a whole. Ofcom suggested that the appropriate level for such an obligation might be to cover an area within which 95% of the population of each nation lives. Ofcom also consulted on two options for an extended UK-wide coverage obligation. The first would require the licensee to provide a 4G mobile data service to an area within which at least 98% of the UK population lives. The second would require the licensee to provide the specified mobile data service with coverage comparable to the combined mobile voice coverage of today's 2G networks and in addition to provide the same service with coverage comparable to that of the additional mobile voice coverage achieved through the mobile infrastructure project (MIP), in those areas where MIP infrastructure is capable of supporting a 4G mobile data service.
	Ofcom has received over 40 responses to this consultation which it is currently analysing. Ofcom intends to decide on these issues and publish a statement in the summer.

Telephone Services

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many call centres provide services for his Department and the bodies for which he is responsible; and how many such call centres are based abroad.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) does not use call centre services.
	DCMS does not hold this information for its arm's length bodies (ALBs). Accordingly, I have asked the chief executives of our ALBs to write directly to the right hon. Member for Warley with this information.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Temporary Accommodation

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers the police and other agencies have to prevent antisocial behaviour caused by homeless people who have been temporarily housed in hotels.

James Brokenshire: The police and other agencies have access to numerous formal and informal powers to tackle antisocial behaviour by individuals, wherever they are housed, including acceptable behaviour contracts and antisocial behaviour orders. The Home Office has consulted on proposals to streamline these powers, making them less bureaucratic and more effective. We will publish the Government's response to the consultation in due course.

British Nationality: Families

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what further provisions of the Schengen acquis the UK has adopted since the adoption of Council Decision 2000/365/EC; and what conditions were imposed on the UK in respect of each such measure;
	(2)  on how many occasions the Council has required the UK to meet certain conditions before admitting it to provisions of the Schengen acquis under Council Decision 2000/365/EC; and what conditions were imposed in each such case.

James Brokenshire: Since the 2000 Council Decision determining the UK's initial participation in elements of the Schengen Acquis, the UK has made only one application under Article 4 of Protocol 19 on the Schengen Acquis integrated into the framework of the EU (the Schengen Protocol) to join further provisions of Schengen. That application was granted by Council Decision 2010/779/EU, which facilitated the UK's participation in the regulation establishing a European agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice.
	The Schengen Protocol does not provide for conditions to be imposed where a request is made by the UK, or Ireland, to take part in provisions of the Schengen Acquis. However, the UK will have to undergo an evaluation process before connecting to the second generation of the Schengen Information System (SIS II) to ensure that we meet the necessary data protection and security standards; that evaluation is applicable to any state wishing to join SIS.

Deportation

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the UK Border Agency spent on flights for the deportation of immigrants in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The following table shows the expenditure for public expense removals in each of the last five financial years.
	
		
			 Financial year NET total (£) 
			 2007-08 20,295,271 
			 2008-09 26,789,716 
			 2009-10 29,290,204 
			 2010-11 29,034,845 
			 2011-12 28,442,081 
			 Net total 133,852,116 
		
	
	Where a removal is cancelled after a ticket has been issued, we always seek a refund from the carrier where the ticket type allows. The three most significant reasons for cancellation are where a person makes a late application for asylum, launches a last-minute appeal to the courts (e.g. a judicial review) or where the detainee becomes so disruptive that the airline refuses to carry the person. The figures provided for 2010-11 and 2011-12 exclude the value of refunds which are yet to be received.
	The data are taken from internal management information, which is provisional and has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. It is subject to change and does not form part of national statistics.

Fraud

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a diagrammatic representation of the relationships between the (a) bodies and (b) strategies for tackling fraud in Government including (i) Fighting Fraud Together: the strategic plan to reduce fraud, (ii) the Counter Fraud Taskforce, (iii) the Cabinet Office Taskforce on Fraud, Error and Debt, (iv) the National Fraud Agency, (v) Action Fraud, (vi) the Serious Fraud Office, (vii) the Serious Organised Crime Agency, (viii) any relevant central Government department, (ix) any relevant non-departmental public body and (x) any other relevant body or strategy.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 14 May 2012
	I have placed a copy of the material requested by my hon. Friend in the Library. The Government are committed to fighting fraud and the harm it causes to the economy and the public’s wellbeing. Fighting Fraud Together is the national strategic plan for combating fraud and is based on three objectives: awareness, prevention and enforcement. Fighting Fraud Together is not owned by the Government and is a collaborative exercise between the public sector, private sector companies, law enforcement organisations and the voluntary sector. This response is overseen by the Economic Crime Coordination Board as a precursor to the Economic Crime Command of the National Crime Agency. Allied to this the Government have established a fraud error and debt taskforce to tackle the estimated £20 billion losses to fraud in the public sector. We will continue to work side by side with partners across all sectors to ensure the best possible response to fraud.

Immigration Controls: Skilled Workers

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the cap on non-EU migrant workers.

Damian Green: The Government commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to provide advice on the level of the migration limit for 2012-13 and whether further changes were needed to the rules for entry of non-EEA skilled workers to the UK in light of the impact of the limit and associated policies to reduce net migration. The MAC's report, published on 28 February 2012, recommended no change to the annual limit of 20,700, and the Government has accepted the MAC's recommendation.
	The limit, together with other changes we have made, has delivered a far more selective migration system which allows employers access to highly skilled migrants who will help promote economic growth, while keeping numbers at a sustainable level and eliminating abuse.

Licensed Premises: Security

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 25 April 2012, Official Report, column 894W, on licensed premises: security, if she will place in the Library the existing written guidance on false identification documents for door supervisors.

James Brokenshire: The previously published guidance has been withdrawn while it is being updated to reflect revised legislation. Revised guidance will be available shortly.

Licensing Laws: Reading

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alcohol licences have been revoked in Reading West constituency due to the sale of alcohol to children since the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office's collection of Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing statistics covers the number of licences revoked, but does not indicate why they were revoked. Licences may be revoked following a review by a licensing authority for a number of reasons, including for the offence of persistently selling of alcohol to children. The collection also covers the numbers of licences suspended by the courts.
	Alcohol licensing statistics are not collected by parliamentary constituency. However, Reading West constituency is covered by the combined unitary licensing authorities of Reading and West Berkshire. 2006-07 was the first year of collection after the Licensing Act 2003 came into force in 2005. Table 1 includes information on the numbers of premises licences revoked and the numbers of club premises certificates withdrawn from 2006-07 to 2009-10 for these authorities. Table 2 shows that from 2007-08 to 2009-10, no premises licences were suspended by a court within Reading and West Berkshire.
	Neither licensing authority provided information for the year 2006-07 to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which was then responsible for the collection of licensing data.
	
		
			 Table 1:Premises licences revoked or club premises certificates withdrawn (1)  following a completed review, Reading and West Berkshire Licensing authorities, 2006-07 to 2009-10 
			  Licensing authority 
			 Financial year Reading West Berkshire 
			 2006-07 (2)— (2)— 
			 2007-08 2 1 
			 2008-09 0 2 
			 2009-10 0 0 
			 (1) Where a club premises certificate is withdrawn under section 90 of the Licensing Act 2003. (2) Non response or unknown. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Premises licences suspended by a court (1) , Reading and West Berkshire Licensing authorities, 2006-07 to 2009-10 
			  Licensing authority 
			 Financial year Reading West Berkshire 
			 2006-07(2) (3)— (3)— 
			 2007-08 0 0 
			 2008-09 0 0 
			 2009-10 0 0 
			 (1) Where a premises licence is suspended by a court, under section 147B(1) of the Licensing Act 2003 (as amended by the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006) for the sale or supply of alcohol, following an offence of persistently selling to underage children. (2) Prior to 6 April 2007 premises licence could be suspended following a review. From 6 April 2007, a premises licence could be suspended by a court, under section 147B(1) of the Licensing act 2003 (as amended by the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006) for the sale or supply of alcohol, following an offence of persistently selling to underage children. (3) Non response or unknown.

Departmental Staff

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many jobs formerly in her Department and its agencies and non-departmental bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.

Damian Green: The response relates to the Home Office, its Executive Agencies and NDPBs.
	In 2011-12, 17 roles (eight people), transferred to the private sector:
	14 administrative roles (eight people) from the Home Office Mail and Messenger Service to ETDE which provides facilities services to the main office in Marsham street; and
	Three IT helpdesk roles (No people) transferred from Home Office IT to Fujitsu.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 12 December 2011 and 25 January 2012 transferred to her Department from the Cabinet Office in February 2012, regarding Tetra Scene of Crime Limited.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 14 May 2012
	I wrote to my hon. Friend on 10 May 2012.

Proceeds of Crime

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value of assets recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was in each police authority area in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.

James Brokenshire: Full year figures are not yet available for 2011-12. The information for 2010-11 is as follows:
	
		
			 Total value of assets recovered in each police authority area in the period April 2010 to March 2011 
			 Police force £ 
			 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 1,615,880.64 
			 Bedfordshire Police 1,457,875.42 
			 British Transport Police 593,589.25 
			 Cambridgeshire Constabulary 339,889.69 
			 Cheshire Constabulary 1,138,667.25 
			 City of London Police 303,108.38 
			 Cleveland Police 819,520.72 
			 Cumbria Constabulary 894,697.16 
			 Derbyshire Constabulary 1,033,856.86 
			 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary 1,216,996.45 
			 Dorset Police 631,378.18 
			 Durham Constabulary 586,582.08 
			 Dyfed-Powys Police 199,897.82 
			 Essex Police 542,589.97 
			 Gloucestershire Constabulary 635,697.62 
			 Greater Manchester Police 4,040,977.42 
			 Gwent Police 816,305.00 
			 Hampshire Constabulary 1,212,368.99 
			 Hertfordshire Constabulary 658,046.14 
			 Humberside Police 1,725,038.86 
			 Kent Police 4,235,416.46 
			 Lancashire Constabulary 3,143,439.30 
			 Leicestershire Constabulary 2,739,270.24 
			 Lincolnshire Police 533,808.74 
			 Merseyside Police 3,153,547.67 
			 Metropolitan Police Service 28,126,048.08 
			 Norfolk Constabulary 601,733.80 
			 North Wales Police 1,503,391.49 
			 North Yorkshire Police 930,995.43 
			 Northamptonshire Police 1,095,671.23 
			 Northumbria Police 1,562,054.92 
			 Nottinghamshire Police 1,692,534.34 
			 South Wales Police 1,760,598.51 
			 South Yorkshire Police 1,139,947.93 
			 Staffordshire Police 1,233,822.74 
			 Suffolk Constabulary 1,065,393.35 
			 Surrey Police 708,854,75 
			 Sussex Police 1,988,717.88 
			 Thames Valley Police 1,342,934.89 
			 Warwickshire Police 273,069.56 
		
	
	
		
			 West Mercia Constabulary 864,763.40 
			 West Midlands Police 4,145,844.42 
			 West Yorkshire Police 3,397,264.15 
			 Wiltshire Constabulary 907,822.67

Proceeds of Crime

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what value of assets was recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how much was provided to each public service which received funds so recovered.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 14 May 2012
	The value of assets recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) in 2010-11 was £157.63 million and the sums provided to relevant bodies is set out in the following table. Full year figures are not yet available for 2011-12.
	
		
			 Agency Amount in 2010-11 (£ million) 
			 Home Office 77.95 
			 Police Service 28.4 
			 HM Courts and Tribunal Service 11.8 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 14.7 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency 5.8 
			 HM Revenue and Customs/UK Border Agency 8.6 
			 Other Government Departments 6.4 
			 Local authorities 2.4

Treaties: European Union

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether conventions agreed under Title VI of the Treaty on European Union prior to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty would cease to bind the United Kingdom if it gave the notification to the Council permitted by Article 10(4) of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties.

James Brokenshire: The full list of measures, including any conventions agreed under Title VI of the Treaty of the European Union, which would cease to bind the United Kingdom if it gave the notification to the Council permitted by Article 10(4) of the Protocol (number 36) on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU Treaties was provided to Parliament on 21 December. The list was annexed to letters to William Cash MP, Chair of the Commons European Scrutiny Committee and Lord Roper, Chair of the Lords European Union Committee. The letter to William Cash and the annex will be placed in the House Library.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 26 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1021-2W, on Afghanistan, when he anticipates the pre-Chicago event in Kabul will take place; and who will represent the UK Government.

Alistair Burt: The pre-Chicago event on women, peace and security, took place in Kabul on 6 May. Facilitated by the Finns and UN Women, this was an Afghan-led event, attended by Afghan civil society, with members of the international community invited as observers. The UK and some other international partners did not to attend for security reasons. We continue to work with the Finns and other international and Afghan counterparts on this agenda ahead of the Chicago NATO summit.

Civil Proceedings

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce the number of vexatious claims brought before employment tribunals.

Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	We have already increased the maximum limit for cost awards and deposit orders to £20,000 and £1,000 respectively, and will bring forward legislation, as part of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, to introduce early conciliation and increase the use of compromise agreements to support parties to resolve disputes outside the employment tribunal system. The Ministry of Justice has also consulted on introducing fees for employment tribunal claims.
	The Fundamental Review of the Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure is well underway, and has a clear emphasis on dealing robustly and consistently with cases where they appear to have little or no reasonable prospect of success. We are expecting to receive Mr Justice Underhill's report in the near future. The Government will consider his recommendations and will consult on those to be taken forward later this year.

European Union

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of provisions under the Lisbon Treaty for the EU to conclude international agreements with the UK.

David Lidington: It may be possible under the EU Treaties for the EU to enter into international agreements with the UK in respect of areas such as the Schengen acquis or the area of freedom, security and justice under Part 3, Title V TFEU in respect of matters in which the UK has not chosen to participate. However, this situation has not arisen to date.

International Law: Overseas Companies

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to the public purse has been of the Government's decision to intervene in the case of Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum.

Alistair Burt: The legal fees associated with the HMG's amicus brief in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch and Shell amounted to £8,212.07.

Palestinians

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart on the full opening of the Rafah crossing into Gaza.

Alistair Burt: During his visit to Egypt in May 2011, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed the relaxation of the Rafah crossing controls with the then Egyptian Foreign Minister, Nabil al-Arabi. Following these discussions, the UK welcomed the decision by Egypt on 27 May 2011 to partially ease restrictions on the movement of people through the Rafah crossing. However, Rafah is not suitable for commercial goods or large amounts of humanitarian aid.
	We are clear that the key to the economic regeneration of Gaza is easing of restrictions at the Israeli crossings into Gaza, including for exports, construction material imports and the movement of people.

HEALTH

Accountancy

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department had (a) a recognised accountancy qualification and (b) the Associate Chartered Accountant qualification in each of the last three years; and how many staff in his Department were working towards a recognised accountancy qualification in each such year.

Simon Burns: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  2010 2011 
			 Total number of staff with a recognised accountancy qualification 92 123 
			 Total number of staff with the Associate Chartered Accountant qualification 8 8 
			 Total number of staff working towards a recognised accountancy qualification 27 31 
			 Notes: 1. 2011 is the latest year for which data are available. The Department did not collect these data centrally before 2010. 2. Information relating to Connecting for Health staff holding, or working towards, a recognised accountancy qualification was collected for the first time in 2011.

Alcoholic Drinks

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of under 18-year-olds in alcohol treatment programmes in the Tees Valley.

Anne Milton: The national alcohol treatment monitoring system (NATMS) records data on the numbers of young people (under 18) in contact with specialist drug and alcohol services in England. Figures from the NATMS show that 211 young people received a specialist intervention for a primary alcohol problem in Tees Valley in 2010-11.

Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that the difference between cancer survival rates in England and those in other countries continues to be measured.

Paul Burstow: Cancer survival rates in England will continue to be assessed alongside cancer survival rates in other countries, for example through the European cancer registry-based study on the survival and care of cancer patients (EUROCARE) research project. We have been able to make very useful, up-to-date comparisons through the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP), which we have been running with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Wales and Northern Ireland, but we have yet to determine the future for the ICBP.

Childbirth

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to improve the outcomes of babies born prematurely or sick in England; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make care for premature or sick babies a priority for the NHS Commissioning Board; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Government are committed to the provision of high quality, safe neonatal services founded on evidence-based good practice and outcomes. We have made “reducing deaths in babies and young children” and “improving the safety of maternity services” areas for improvement in the NHS Outcomes Framework for 2012-13.
	To assist national health service commissioners and providers in the delivery of safe, high quality neonatal services, the Department published the evidence based “Toolkit for High Quality Neonatal Services” in 2009.
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_107845
	The Toolkit is supported by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's “Quality Standard for specialist neonatal care” published in 2010.
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qualitystandards/specialistneonatalcare/specialistneonatalcarequalitystandard.jsp
	The NHS Commissioning Board will be held to account for its performance against outcomes in the NHS Outcomes Framework. By focusing on outcomes, the Government will hold the board to account for improved services for premature and sick babies, but allow clinicians the freedom to design services that are most effective for achieving better care.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the report by Action for ME, “Ignorance, Injustice and Neglect”, for what reason 53 out of 151 patient care trusts in England were able to provide full or partial information about their funding of services for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Paul Burstow: Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a complex long-term neurological condition with a range of symptoms, with each sufferer experiencing their own personal combination. Physical and/or mental fatigue is the most well-known symptom, but others include pain, disturbed sleep, and gastrointestinal problems. Information about actual numbers of people with CFS/ME—and the funding spent on services locally—is difficult to obtain because of the problems with producing a precise definition of the illness.
	The World Health Organisation classes benign myalgic encephalomyelitis and post-viral fatigue syndrome under the same classification G93.3 “diseases of the nervous system”—subheading “other disorders of the brain”. The Chief Medical Officer's Independent Working Group on CFS/ME, which reported in 2002, recognised that that there were widely different views on how symptoms are described, defined and classified, and called for a consensus to be reached on terminology and definition. While awaiting this, the group recommended that the composite term CFS/ME should be used. While this will help with gathering information from the national health service, there is still only partial information available and some local variations.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the report by Action for ME, “Ignorance, Injustice and Neglect”, for what reason more than a quarter of patient care trusts in England do not commission specialist secondary care for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome;
	(2)  for what reason 37 out of 151 patient care trusts in England provide domiciliary care for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome;
	(3)  with reference to the recommendation by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence that patient care trusts (PCTs) should provide a designated myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome pathway, for what reason fewer than a third of PCTs in England provide such a pathway.

Paul Burstow: In 2007, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued a clinical guideline on the management of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).
	The guideline recommends the use of cognitive behaviour therapy and graded exercise in patients mildly or moderately affected by CFS/ME on the basis that these were the interventions for which there was the clearest research evidence of benefit. A number of other treatments, including particular drugs, vitamin supplements and complementary therapies, were not recommended because there was not enough evidence to suggest that they were effective. The guideline acknowledges that there is no one form of treatment to suit every patient, and that treatment and care should take into account the personal needs and preferences of the patient.
	It is important to emphasise that NICE clinical guidelines are just that—guidelines for health care professionals. Government policy is for the national health service locally to set its own priorities in response to local need and local circumstances and commission services accordingly.
	Improving quality and delivering better health outcomes for patients is the primary purpose of the NHS. Accountability throughout the system needs to be focused on the outcomes of care, rather than the processes. This focus on outcomes will start at a national level with the 2012-13 NHS Outcomes Framework, which defines and will enable measurement of the key outcomes that matter to patients.
	All five domains within the NHS Outcomes Framework have relevance for people living with CFS/ME and other neurological conditions. Domain two—enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions as a whole—is the most immediately relevant. This reflects the fact that increasing numbers of people have multiple long-term conditions, and it is not always helpful to see their care from the perspective of a single clinical pathway. Domain two seeks to capture how successfully the NHS is supporting people with long-term conditions to live as normal a life as possible and will be measured using three outcomes:
	(i) feeling supported to manage their condition—this measures how well the NHS as a whole is doing in supporting people to look after themselves and handle the consequences of their conditions;
	(ii) functional ability—this measures how well the person is able to live as normal a life as possible, and by looking at employment ties in well with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Government’s wider policies about getting people back to work; and
	(iii) reduced time spent in hospital—this measures how successfully the NHS manages the condition(s) by looking at unnecessary hospital admissions and excessive length of stay.
	It will be the responsibility of the NHS Commissioning Board to determine how to deliver the outcomes in the NHS Outcomes Framework. The board will use the Outcomes Framework and NICE Quality Standards to develop a Commissioning Outcomes Framework and together these will be the basis for clinical commissioning groups to be held to account. The board will also support commissioning by developing detailed commissioning guidance and tools such as standard contracts and tariffs.

Clinical Trials

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) group sequential trials and (b) continual reassessment method trials in (i) increasing efficiency and (ii) decreasing the cost of drug development.

Simon Burns: Group sequential trials are in widespread use. Trials with this type of design are proposed and conducted by the pharmaceutical industry and by academic groups, and are endorsed and accepted by regulatory agencies worldwide. For example, all clinical trial sponsors designing Phase III confirmatory clinical trials in oncology would consider a group sequential design with the possibility of early stopping for efficacy. A group sequential trial that meets stopping criteria at an interim analysis (for “efficacy” representing a success, or for “futility” representing a failure) will, in many circumstances, represent a more efficient and less costly way to achieve a result than a fixed sample-size design. This is recognised by sponsors of clinical trials, who have primary responsibility for the choice of design, and by regulators.
	Continual reassessment method (CRM) trials offer improvements in relation to “standard” dose-escalation trials in terms of the manner in which patients are allocated to dose levels leading to a more efficient trial e.g. more relevant information obtained per patient exposed. This is well documented in published literature relating to clinical trials.
	Regulators advising sponsors on the adequacy of drug development programmes to support marketing authorisation application also recognise the benefits of the CRM approach, though this is somewhat specialist methodology and is rarely “pivotal” to licensing decisions. CRM may not decrease costs compared to a standard design, but for each unit of “cost”, in particular if measured by patient exposure, the CRM will, on average, give more information than the standard 3+3 design, enabling better decisions about which drugs and which doses to pursue—hence improved efficiency and lower likelihood of wasting money on futile or poorly informed development programmes.

Cosmetic Surgery

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to introduce new regulations for the private cosmetic surgery industry up to 2015.

Simon Burns: As announced by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), in the House on 11 January 2012, Official Report, columns 181-98W, Sir Bruce Keogh has been asked to bring together experts to advise on how the safety of patients considering cosmetic interventions can be better ensured in the future. We expect that regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry will be considered as part of this review.

Depressive Illnesses

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the population were affected by depression in the last year for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: From figures obtained through the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey in England 2007, 9% of people meet the criteria for the diagnosis of mixed anxiety and depression, with 2.3% meeting the criteria for the diagnosis of a depressive episode.
	The Government are investing around £400 million in talking therapies over the four years to 2014-15, which will mean that an extra 1.2 million people are able to get treatment for depression and anxiety.

Eyesight: Testing

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free eye tests have been given to people aged 60 years and over since 2001; and whether he plans to review the current eye test scheme.

Simon Burns: The following tables show the number of national health service sight tests for persons aged 60 and over, in England from 1999-2000 to 2010-2011. This information has been extracted from the report, “General Ophthalmic Services: Activity Statistics for England, Year ending 31 March 2011”. This report is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/gosactivity1011
	Patients may qualify for an NHS sight test on more than one criterion. However, they would only be recorded against one criterion on the form. Patients are more likely to be recorded according to their clinical need rather than their age. For example, a patient aged over 60 with glaucoma is likely to be recorded in the glaucoma category only. The count by eligibility is therefore approximate. Patients may also have had more than one sight test in the specified time period.
	There are currently no plans to review the arrangements for NHS sight tests.
	
		
			 Annex C, Table A1: NHS sight tests, by patient eligibility, in England, as at the specified financial years 
			  1996 - 97 1997 - 98 1998 - 99 1999 -20 00 2000- 01 2001- 02 2002- 03 
			 Aged 60 and over 0 0 0 3,301,412 3,753,315 4,012,946 4,135,615 
			 Children 0-15 2,353,696 2,385,520 2,458,944 2,425,666 2,404,037 2,374,943 2,284,368 
			 Students 16-18 515,321 507,983 477,013 468,221 454,319 487,882 468,735 
			 Adults receiving income support(1) 1,905,505 1,975,057 1,781,740 1,359,767 1,158,854 1,082,048 963,281 
			 Adults receiving tax credits 358,073 335,711 341,887 328,471 360,033 450,475 412,478 
			 Adults receiving JSA(2) 28,983 66,068 176,562 219,654 211,827 230,050 207,703 
			 Low income certificate holders (HC2) 331,134 316,700 301,784 226,694 189,899 164,262 166,784 
			 Registered blind/partially sighted 36,380 40,810 40,914 21,783 19,604 18,948 17,850 
			 Diabetics/Glaucoma sufferers 604,841 644,345 685,107 469,375 451,601 432,819 448,147 
			 Need complex lenses 84,409 86,276 80,498 66,029 67,462 61,129 66,268 
			 Close relatives 40 and over of Glaucoma sufferers 589,347 632,740 647,857 512,341 496,182 491,898 490,820 
			 Prisoner on Leave (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 Unallocated 22 45 28 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 6,807,711 6,991,255 6,992,334 9,399,416 9,567,135 9,807,403 9,662,052 
		
	
	
		
			  2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Aged 60 and over 4,308,889 4,303,128 4,450,007 4,518,672 4,860,912 5,015,536 5,191,773 5,305,177 
			 Children 0-15 2,236,329 2,206,853 2,168,542 2,113,479 2,299,159 2,313,500 2,460,089 2,449,831 
			 Students 16-18 456,614 463,568 467,487 490,762 507,918 516,837 528,512 543,199 
			 Adults receiving income support(1) 953,325 1,091,019 1,085,424 1,170,055 1,119,650 1,107,692 1,085,346 1,085,496 
		
	
	
		
			 Adults receiving tax credits 474,541 528,409 538,779 569,833 660,736 675,514 689,091 696,757 
			 Adults receiving JSA(2) 201,487 195,783 218,689 236,126 225,782 239,556 313,205 309,283 
			 Low income certificate holders (HC2) 149,033 152,534 142,796 133,580 127,542 119,667 104,549 91,599 
			 Registered blind/partially sighted 19,834 22,227 22,304 28,431 18,764 21,275 21,929 14,385 
			 Diabetics/Glaucoma sufferers 474,385 589,465 646,628 597,773 591,954 605,302 708,631 723,921 
			 Need complex lenses 71,418 72,312 70,295 86,816 82,476 75,122 62,732 73,297 
			 Close relatives 40 and over of Glaucoma sufferers 499,404 523,680 543,605 539,345 552,997 588,114 644,244 644,450 
			 Prisoner on Leave (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 360 1,550 1,134 
			 Unallocated 0 0 122 50 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 9,845,259 10,148,978 10,354,682 10,484,922 11,047,890 11,278,474 11,811,651 11,938,529 
			 (1) Income support includes patients receiving pension credit guarantee credit (PCGC) as well as income-related employment and support allowance (ESA), which was introduced in October 2008. (2) Job seekers allowance. (3) Not applicable. Prisoner on leave was introduced in October 2008. Notes: 1. From 1 April 1999, eligibility for an NHS sight test was extended to everyone aged 60 or over. 2. Patients may qualify for an NHS sight test on more than one criterion. However, they would only be recorded against one criterion on the form. Patients are more likely to be recorded according to their clinical need rather than their age. For example, a patient aged over 60, with glaucoma is likely to be recorded in the glaucoma category only. The count by eligibility is therefore approximate. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Eyesight: Testing

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances children of school age are entitled to free eye tests; and whether he plans to alter these arrangements.

Simon Burns: All children aged under 16 are entitled to free national health service funded sight tests.
	There are currently no plans to change these arrangements.
	The following tables show the number of NHS sight tests provided to children aged under 16, in England from 1999-2000 to 2010-11. This information has been extracted from the report, “General Ophthalmic Services: Activity Statistics for England, Year ending 31 March 2011”. This report is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/gosactivity1011
	
		
			 Annex C, Table A1: NHS sight tests, by patient eligibility, in England, as at the specified financial years 
			  1996 - 97 1997 - 98 1998 - 99 1999 -20 00 2000- 01 2001- 02 2002- 03 
			 Aged 60 and over 0 0 0 3,301,412 3,753,315 4,012,946 4,135,615 
			 Children 0-15 2,353,696 2,385,520 2,458,944 2,425,666 2,404,037 2,374,943 2,284,368 
			 Students 16-18 515,321 507,983 477,013 468,221 454,319 487,882 468,735 
			 Adults receiving income support(1) 1,905,505 1,975,057 1,781,740 1,359,767 1,158,854 1,082,048 963,281 
			 Adults receiving tax credits 358,073 335,711 341,887 328,471 360,033 450,475 412,478 
			 Adults receiving JSA(2) 28,983 66,068 176,562 219,654 211,827 230,050 207,703 
			 Low income certificate holders (HC2) 331,134 316,700 301,784 226,694 189,899 164,262 166,784 
			 Registered blind/partially sighted 36,380 40,810 40,914 21,783 19,604 18,948 17,850 
			 Diabetics/Glaucoma sufferers 604,841 644,345 685,107 469,375 451,601 432,819 448,147 
			 Need complex lenses 84,409 86,276 80,498 66,029 67,462 61,129 66,268 
			 Close relatives 40 and over of Glaucoma sufferers 589,347 632,740 647,857 512,341 496,182 491,898 490,820 
			 Prisoner on Leave (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 Unallocated 22 45 28 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 6,807,711 6,991,255 6,992,334 9,399,416 9,567,135 9,807,403 9,662,052 
		
	
	
		
			  2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Aged 60 and over 4,308,889 4,303,128 4,450,007 4,518,672 4,860,912 5,015,536 5,191,773 5,305,177 
			 Children 0-15 2,236,329 2,206,853 2,168,542 2,113,479 2,299,159 2,313,500 2,460,089 2,449,831 
			 Students 16-18 456,614 463,568 467,487 490,762 507,918 516,837 528,512 543,199 
			 Adults receiving income support(1) 953,325 1,091,019 1,085,424 1,170,055 1,119,650 1,107,692 1,085,346 1,085,496 
			 Adults receiving tax credits 474,541 528,409 538,779 569,833 660,736 675,514 689,091 696,757 
			 Adults receiving JSA(2) 201,487 195,783 218,689 236,126 225,782 239,556 313,205 309,283 
			 Low income certificate holders (HC2) 149,033 152,534 142,796 133,580 127,542 119,667 104,549 91,599 
			 Registered blind/partially sighted 19,834 22,227 22,304 28,431 18,764 21,275 21,929 14,385 
		
	
	
		
			 Diabetics/Glaucoma sufferers 474,385 589,465 646,628 597,773 591,954 605,302 708,631 723,921 
			 Need complex lenses 71,418 72,312 70,295 86,816 82,476 75,122 62,732 73,297 
			 Close relatives 40 and over of Glaucoma sufferers 499,404 523,680 543,605 539,345 552,997 588,114 644,244 644,450 
			 Prisoner on Leave (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 360 1,550 1,134 
			 Unallocated 0 0 122 50 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 9,845,259 10,148,978 10,354,682 10,484,922 11,047,890 11,278,474 11,811,651 11,938,529 
			 (1) Income support includes patients receiving pension credit guarantee credit (PCGC) as well as income-related employment and support allowance (ESA), which was introduced in October 2008. (2) Job seekers allowance. (3) Not applicable. Prisoner on leave was introduced in October 2008. Notes: 1. From 1 April 1999, eligibility for an NHS sight test was extended to everyone aged 60 or over. 2. Patients may qualify for an NHS sight test on more than one criterion. However, they would only be recorded against one criterion on the form. Patients are more likely to be recorded according to their clinical need rather than their age. For example, a patient aged over 60, with glaucoma is likely to be recorded in the glaucoma category only. The count by eligibility is therefore approximate. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Hospitals

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid to consultants who have undertaken reviews of the financial position of St Helens Hospital; and if he will publish the consultants' findings.

Simon Burns: The Department paid £101,267 in 2006-07 to undertake a historic due diligence and working capital review of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as part of the trust's application to become a foundation trust in that year. This work is required for all national health service trusts seeking to achieve foundation trust status.
	The Department provided £220,000 to fund a review in May 2011 of the impact of private finance initiative (PFI) arrangements in 22 NHS trusts in England, with PFI schemes which might hinder their ability to achieve foundation trust status. Informed by this review, the Department announced on 3 February 2012 that six of these trusts, including St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, may be eligible for financial support from the Department to ensure their long-term financial viability subject to passing four tests. The Department plans to publish the outcome of the review in due course.
	Spending on consultants by the trust to review its financial position is not held centrally.

Influenza: Vaccination

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) those over 65 years, (b) pregnant women and (c) health and social care workers in Reading West constituency received a flu vaccination in each of the last five winters.

Anne Milton: Data on the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccine are available for primary care trusts (PCTs) but not for constituencies. The data provided in the following tables are for the PCT that covers Reading West constituency.
	
		
			 Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in those aged 65 years and over 
			 Survey year Primary care trust Vaccine uptake % 
			 2007-08 Berkshire West PCT 75.6 
			 2008-09 Berkshire West PCT 75.7 
			 2009-10 Berkshire West PCT 74.2 
			 2010-11 Berkshire West PCT 75.0 
			 2011-12(1) Berkshire West PCT 75.6 
			 (1) Data are provisional end of campaign data for 2011-12 
		
	
	
		
			 Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in pregnant women (data only available for the last two survey years) 
			 Survey year Primary care trust Vaccine uptake % 
			 2010-11 Berkshire West PCT 44.2 
			 2011-121 Berkshire West PCT 36.0 
			 (1) Data are provisional end of campaign data for 2011-12 Notes: 1. Data cover cumulative vaccinations administered from 1 September to end of 31 January in each survey year except 2010-11, when the data collection extended to include flu vaccinations to end of 28 February 2011. 2. Data on the uptake of influenza vaccine by pregnant women include ‘healthy pregnant Women’, i.e. those without other risk factors and those falling in a clinical at-risk group. 3. Data on the uptake of influenza vaccine by pregnant women need to be interpreted with caution. It is likely that influenza vaccine uptake by pregnant women is underestimated due to denominator inflation but it is not possible to determine the scale of the underestimation and it could vary considerably between data providers. The reasons behind the likely underestimation of uptake are described in the December 2011 issue of ‘Vaccine Update’ at: http://immunisation.dh.gov.uk/vu-185-dec-11/ 4. All figures are derived from data as extracted from records on general practitioner (GP) systems or as submitted by GP practices or PCTs. 
		
	
	Data on the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccine by health care workers (HCWs) are available by national health service trust but not by constituencies. The data provided in the following table are for the NHS trusts that cover the Reading West constituency.
	
		
			 Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in HCWs 
			 Survey year Organisation name Vaccine uptake % 
			 2007-08(1) Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust 9.6 
			    
			 2008-09(2) Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust — 
			    
			 2009-10 Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 7,8 
			  Berkshire West PCT 7.0 
			  Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 7.2 
			  South Central Ambulance Service NHS trust 0.0 
			    
			 2010-11 Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 17.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Berkshire West PCT 44.4 
			  Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 24.1 
			  South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust 13.1 
			    
			 2011-12(3) Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 26.6 
			  Berkshire West PCT 58.7 
			  Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 44.0 
			  South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust 29.8 
			 (1) Vaccine uptake for HCWs was submitted as a cumulative figure (including Reading). (2) No data were reported (3) Data are provisional end of campaign data for 2011-12. Notes: 1. Data received for 2007-08 and 2008-09 surveys were submitted by Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust for the Reading and adjoining areas. 2. Data cover cumulative vaccinations administered from 1 September to end of 31 January in each survey year except .2010-11, when the data collection extended to include flu vaccinations to end of 28 February 2011. 3. Data on the uptake of influenza vaccine by HCWs include all frontline health care workers involved in direct patient care. 4. Changes in the commissioning and provider arrangements within primary care have presented challenges to the collection of data on the vaccination of frontline health care workers in this setting. Therefore 2011-12 season data must be treated with particular caution. 5. Data validation is complete, however due to staff movement across trusts as a result of NHS reorganisation it is likely that there has been double counting and should be interpreted with care. 6. All figures are derived from data as extracted from Immform website submitted by individual trust data providers. 7. For those trusts that did not submit data the rows contain no figures. 8. Some trusts and PCTs were not enlisted in the data reports. Data for these are not recorded and cannot be included in this table for 2007-08 and 2008-09. 
		
	
	The following notes should be considered when reviewing the data in the tables:
	1. Seasonal influenza vaccine was only offered to all pregnant women from the 2010-11 influenza season.
	2. Data have only been collected on the seasonal influenza vaccine uptake of frontline health care workers. Before the 2009-10 influenza season these data were collected from NHS acute trusts only.
	3. Data on seasonal influenza vaccine uptake by social care workers have not been collected.
	4. Influenza vaccines for GP patients are administered through PCT. Influenza vaccinations of HCW are administered by the trusts where the health care workers are working. Therefore, the data on GP patients are for PCT only, and the data for HCW cover a wider range of NHS trusts.
	The data above are taken from reports available on the Department's website at:
	http://immunisation.dh.gov.uk/tag/flu-vaccine-uptake/

Learning Disability

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce a statutory requirement for doctors to receive training on care for patients with learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: Government do not specify the content of training curricula for doctors. The content and standard of healthcare training is the responsibility of the independent regulatory body, the General Medical Council (GMC). Through their role as the custodians of quality standards in education and practice, the GMC are committed to ensuring high quality patient care delivered by high quality doctors and that doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deal with the problems and conditions they will encounter in practice. Medical schools design curricula for undergraduate medical education and Medical Royal Colleges for postgraduate medical training, all to meet the standards set out by the GMC.
	Annual health checks are a ‘reasonable adjustment’ to overcome known health inequalities faced by people with a learning disability. One of the prerequisites for GP practices taking part in the annual health checks directed enhanced service (DES), was that practice staff should attend a multi-professional training session. Funding was made available to primary care trusts (PCTs) for those practices taking part in the DES. However, no additional funding was made available to PCTs to arrange training for practice staff. The Royal College of General Practitioners acknowledges that annual health checks, improved data on local learning disability populations and improved training are clear evidence of local areas responding to the recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and the Local Government Ombudsman on healthcare for people with learning disabilities in their joint investigation “Six Lives”.
	We have committed to work with professional regulatory bodies and educational bodies to support improvements in the training and education of healthcare staff in relation to learning disabilities. Healthcare providers and professionals have a “duty of care”, a clear moral and social responsibility to look after the people in their care effectively. This means that the wellbeing of all service users, and a commitment to treat people with dignity and respect should be central to their work. Should providers fall seriously short of the expected standards, we will expect the full range of sanctions.

Medical Treatments: Research

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on biotechnology and biomedical and clinical research.

Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has had no discussions with the Israeli Minister of Health on these subjects.

Mental Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the NHS spent on mindfulness-based treatments in each of the last five years;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of people who could benefit from mindfulness-based therapies approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE); and how many people were being treated by mindfulness-based therapies approved by NICE in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  if he will estimate the average cost to the public purse of treating repeated episodes of depression by (a) drugs, (b) individual counselling and (c) mindfulness-based therapy in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(4)  how many patients suffering from repeat depression were waiting for treatment based on (a) individual counselling and (b) mindfulness-based therapy in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of level of access to mindfulness-based therapy;
	(6)  how many and what proportion of patients suffering from depression were given mindfulness-based therapies in each primary care trust area in England in the latest year for which figures are available;
	(7)  what assessment he has made of the propensity of GPs to prescribe mindfulness-based therapy for patients who have depression;
	(8)  if he will estimate the proportion of GPs who regularly prescribe mindfulness-based therapy for the treatment of repeat depression;
	(9)  what assessment he has made of any potential financial savings to the NHS of an increased take up of mindfulness-based therapy for the treatment of repeat depression;
	(10)  which conditions the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has assessed for treatment with mindfulness-based therapies; and which treatments have been taken up by the NHS;
	(11)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) anti-depressants and (b) mindfulness-based treatment in (i) curing and (ii) suppressing depression.

Paul Burstow: How much was spent by the national health service on mindfulness-based therapies is not collected centrally and neither has an estimate been made of the number of people who could benefit from receiving it. With regard to how many people have been treated using mindfulness-based therapies and the cost to the public purse of treating repeated episodes of depression by drugs, individual counselling and mindfulness-based therapy in the most recent period for which figures are available I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 3 October 2011, Official Report, columns 1406-08W.
	Figures showing how many patients suffering from repeat depression were waiting for treatment based on individual counselling and mindfulness-based therapy in the most recent period for which figures are available are not collected centrally and no national assessment of access to mindfulness based therapies has been made.
	With regard to how many and what proportion of patients suffering with depression were given mindfulness-based therapies in each primary care trust area in England in the latest year for which figures are available I also refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 3 October 2011, Official Report, columns 1406-08W.
	No assessment of the propensity of general practitioners (GPs) to prescribe mindfulness-based therapies has been made. It is more usually the case that patients will receive the therapy as part of their treatment by an IAPT practitioner to whom they will have been referred by their GP. For similar reasons, no estimate has been made of the proportion of GPs who regularly prescribe mindfulness-based therapy for the treatment of repeat depression.
	We have not made an assessment of the potential financial savings to the NHS that may be realised by an increased take-up of mindfulness-based therapy for the treatment of repeat depression. However, research has shown mindfulness-based therapy to be effective in preventing relapse after a period of depression and this is why mindfulness-based therapy is increasingly being offered as part of IAPT delivered interventions.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is responsible for determining the exact scope of its guidance on individual disease areas, including the specific interventions covered. Their clinical guidelines on depression in adults, published in October 2009, and common mental health disorders, published in May 2011, include recommendations on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.
	The Department has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of anti-depressants and mindfulness-based treatment in curing and suppressing depression. It is the role for NICE to assess treatments and based on their findings make recommendations to the NHS.

Mental Health Services

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the budget spent through primary care trusts was spent on mental health services in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 24 April 2012, Official Report, columns 865-69W. The data requested for 2011-12 are expected to be made available in autumn 2012.

Public Bodies

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the rules relating to disclosure of interest on the part of people serving on his Department's associated public bodies.

Simon Burns: The rules relating to disclosure of interest on the part of people serving on the Department's associated public bodies are set out in the Cabinet Office's “Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies”.
	The document has been placed in the Library. It is also available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	www.bl.uk/aboutus/governance/blboard/Board%20Code%20of%20Practice%202011.pdf

Respiratory System

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether GPs and paediatricians, when presented with child patients with respiratory conditions, routinely ask the parents of the child whether they smoke around their children.

Anne Milton: The Department has made no assessment of whether general practitioners and paediatricians, when presented with child patients with respiratory conditions, routinely ask the parents of the child whether they smoke around their children.
	We know that exposure to second-hand smoke has an adverse impact on children's respiratory health through a number of conditions. For example, it increases the risk of lower respiratory infections in children, increases the risk of wheezing at all ages and also increases the risk of asthma. The vast majority of that exposure takes place in the home and family cars.
	We would, therefore, expect all health care professionals coming in to contact with children presenting with respiratory illness to have appropriate discussions with their parents about the major risk factors, including parental smoking.
	A national marketing campaign, including television, radio, magazines and digital media, to encourage smokers not to smoke in their homes and cars was launched on 31 March.

Sheffield Primary Care Trust

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effects on patient care of the requirement for Sheffield Primary Care Trust to hold back 2% of its budget in 2011-12 and 2012-13 to cover the costs of reorganisation.

Simon Burns: The 2% requirement introduced in the 2010-11 NHS Operating Framework, published 16 December 2009, is a key part of the national health service financial strategy, and the 2012-13 NHS Operating Framework states that every primary care trust is required to commit 2% of their recurrent resources on non-recurrent expenditure. Part of this non-recurrent expenditure will be the non-recurrent costs of organisational and system change, but a significant part of the non-recurrent expenditure relates to Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention initiatives in both NHS trusts and primary care trusts, and service redesign costs not related to the new health system.
	The requirement to commit a level of recurring funds that are only ever committed non-recurrently enables flexibility and mitigates financial risk. It is expected that this approach to financial risk management will continue in the future.

Smoking

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department plans to measure the effectiveness of its behaviour change campaign to reduce the number of adults smoking in cars carrying children.

Anne Milton: The Department will use a number of measures to evaluate the effectiveness of its second-hand smoke campaign, which addresses both homes and cars. This includes:
	1. Pre- and post-campaign tracking, research surveys with the target audience to measure awareness of the campaign and changes in attitude and behaviour, including whether smokers have made their homes and cars smoke free and whether they have quit smoking.
	2. Research with recipients of the Smokefree Kit, which is promoted within the campaign, to assess whether this product further influences changes in attitudes and behaviour change in comparison to those who have solely seen the campaign.
	3. Analysis of response data such as visits to the Smokefree website, text responses to the advertising and social media activity.

Social Services

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authorities in England, with responsibility for adult social services, have a monopoly provider providing 25% or over of nursing care; and what the names are of each of these local authorities and their monopoly provider.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is not collected centrally. Local authorities are free to decide how best to provide care to meet the needs of their populations. They may do so by providing services directly or via contracting with independent providers of care.
	In October 2011, the Department published a discussion paper, “Oversight of the Social Care Market”, which outlined the issues facing the social care market and possible options for strengthening oversight of the largest and most complex providers. This has provided a valuable opportunity for us to hear views on this area and reflect on the best approach.
	We have considered the responses to the consultation paper, and intend to address the issue of market oversight in the forthcoming White Paper on care and support.

Speech Therapy

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance and support he plans to give to clinical commissioning consortia to ensure that they commission an appropriate range of services for people with speech, language and communication needs.

Simon Burns: As commissioners, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will need to have strong relationships with a range of health partners to provide them with access to information, advice and knowledge to help them make the best possible commissioning decisions. They will be under a statutory duty to seek advice in commissioning services from a broad range of professionals, such as those who are well placed to understand the speech, language and communication needs of local populations. They will also be able to access advice from clinical senates and networks.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will have a duty to publish commissioning guidance to which CCGs must have regard. In addition, CCGs will work with local authorities to develop a comprehensive analysis of health and social care needs in each local area, and to translate these into action through the joint health and wellbeing strategy and their own commissioning plans.

JUSTICE

Magistrates: Teesside

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates there were in Teesside (a) on the latest date for which figures are available, (b) in 2011, (c) in 2010, (d) in 2009 and (e) in 2008.

Jonathan Djanogly: HMCTS figures for the number of magistrates in Teesside for the requested years are as follows:
	
		
			  Magistrates 
			 2008 339 
			 2009 329 
			 2010 323 
			 2011 296 
		
	
	The fall in the number of magistrates recruited in Teesside reflects the national picture. This is due to the reduced workload in the magistrates courts. There are currently 264 active magistrates on the Teesside Bench and the local Advisory Committee will be recruiting 10 new magistrates this year for Teesside to replace those magistrates who have retired.

Asylum and Immigration Tribunal

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many companies appealed to the first tier tribunals service tax chamber relating to cases involving PAYE, VAT or national insurance contributions in financial years (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; and what proportion of those appeals were successful.

Jonathan Djanogly: HM Courts and Tribunals Service does not hold centrally any of the information sought. It could only be collated by trawling individual tribunal files manually. Accordingly, it could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. In addition any figures would be misleading as many of the files will have been destroyed under the retention policy guidance.
	Statistical data are published annually and quarterly, including data on the volumes of appeals from any source received and disposed of for the financial years (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11 and the latest figures year to date for (c) 2011-12 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 First Tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) 
			    2011-12 (1) 
			 Volumes 2009-10 2010-11 Quarter 1:  April to June Quarter 2 : July  to September Quarter 3 :  October to December 
			 Receipts 10,400 8,900 2,300 2,900 3,400 
			 Disposals 5,600 6,100 1,300 1,900 1,500 
			 Caseload outstanding 13,500 17,600 19,200 20,300 22,100 
			 (1) The latest published data are for Quarter 3 2011-12. Official Statistics for Quarter 4 (January to March) 2011-12 and annual statistics for 2011-12 will be published on 28 June 2012. 
		
	
	This information is available from the following sources;
	Annual Statistics for the Tribunals Service 2009-10:
	http://www.tribunals.gov.uk/Tribunals/Documents/Publications/TS_AnnualStatisticsReport0910.pdf
	Annual Tribunals Statistics, 2010-11:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/statistics/tribs-stats/annual-tribunals-statistics-2010-11.pdf
	Quarterly Statistics for the Tribunals Quarters 1, 2 and 3 2011-12:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/tribunals/quarterly

Asylum and Immigration Tribunal

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to initiate a consultation on the proposed statutory instrument bringing first tier tribunals on a point of law back into the scope of legal aid; whether such consultation will include representatives of advice agencies and the tribunal judiciary; and whether he proposes that the decision as to whether a tribunal comes into scope will be left to the discretion of a tribunal judge either on their own cognisance or by a direction made by a claimant or claimant's representative.

Jonathan Djanogly: We have undertaken to explore whether we can find a way whereby someone, other than the claimant or their lawyer, certifies that a welfare benefits appeal in the first-tier tribunal involves a point of law. There is still much work to do to determine how and in what circumstances this might be done. Although we have no current plans to consult we may seek views from and engage with interested parties where we consider it appropriate to do so.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions there were for offences related to human trafficking in each year since 2004.

Crispin Blunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 612W.
	Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication 24 May 2012.

Legal Aid Scheme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether welfare benefits will be included in the mandatory legal aid telephone gateway.

Jonathan Djanogly: Welfare benefits will not be subject to the initial phase of the mandatory gateway. The initial areas of law covered by the mandatory gateway will be debt (in so far as it remains in scope), special educational needs and discrimination (claims relating to a contravention of the Equality Act 2010).
	The Government will review the implementation and operation of the gateway and publish the report of the review within two years of the introduction of the gateway, and before any decision is taken about any possible extension of the gateway to other areas of law such as welfare benefits.

Legal Aid Scheme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of existing legal aid funding he expects citizens advice bureaux and law centres to retain in respect of work related to (a) debt, (b) housing, (c) welfare benefits and (d) employment.

Jonathan Djanogly: Once implemented, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 will reduce the number and types of cases for which legal aid will be available, including some matters currently handled by not-for-profit providers. However, not-for-profit providers, alongside all other providers, will continue to be able to bid for the contracts that will be available to deliver legal aid for the areas that remain in scope. The changes to the scope of legal aid will not take effect until April 2013, giving the not-for-profit sector time to adjust to changes in their funding.

Manpower

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many jobs formerly in his Department and its agencies and non-departmental bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2010-11.

Crispin Blunt: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 21W, by the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (Mr Djanogly). I can also advise the right hon. Gentleman that for the following year (2011-12), a total of 639 staff, representing 608 full-time equivalent staff, transferred from HMP Birmingham to the private sector.

Proceeds of Crime

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been (a) levied and (b) collected through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 14 May 2012
	I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	The total value of all orders (cash forfeitures, confiscation, civil recovery and taxation) obtained from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2011 is £1,931,444,000.
	The total value of all orders enforced during the same period is £955,200,000. Confiscation orders are not always paid in the year in which they are made. The enforcement value does not include compensation paid to victims or receiver's fees.

Robbery

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the highest number was of previous convictions for robbery for an individual convicted of an offence of robbery without being sent to prison in each of the last three years; and how many offences they had committed in total at the point of sentence for this offence.

Crispin Blunt: Table 1 shows the highest number of previous convictions for the offence of robbery for an individual convicted of this offence in each year between 2008 to 2010 who received a sentence other than immediate custody. It also shows the offender's total number of previous offences for any offence at the point of sentence and the number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large-scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Table 1: The highest number of previous convictions for the offence of robbery, for an individual convicted of this offence without being sent to prison, in England and Wales in the years 2008 to 2010 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Number of previous convictions for robbery offences 13 14 11 
			 Number of previous cautions and convictions for any offence at time of conviction 69 56 65 
		
	
	
		
			 Number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence 38 30 20 
			 Source: Police National Computer, MOJ JSAS

Translation Services

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of hearings or trials requiring interpreters have been delayed due to Applied Language Solutions not providing an interpreter in the last year.

Crispin Blunt: Full implementation of the contract with Applied Language Solutions commenced on 30 January 2012. There were an unacceptable number of problems in the first weeks of full implementation of the contract, but the Government took swift action to require improvements and performance has now improved significantly.
	Information on the number of hearings or trials delayed due to problems with the new interpretation and translation contract is not available. The Chief Statistician for the Ministry of Justice has already announced plans to publish statistics on the use of interpreters in courts on 24 May 2012.

Unpaid Fines

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many fines levied by courts were not paid in full in the required period in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date; and what estimate he has made of the total monetary value of such fines in each such year.

Jonathan Djanogly: My Department has been able to calculate the total amount imposed and the total amount paid for financial penalties but was not able to track centrally individual accounts until April 2011. The following table shows the data for April to December 2011, the latest data currently available:
	
		
			 Financial impositions in England and Wales—April to December 2011 
			 Total imposed in period (£) (1)294,000,000 
			 Total collected in period (£)(2) (1)209,000,000 
			 Accounts opened in period (4)964,000 
			 Accounts opened and closed in period(3) (4)420,000 
			 (1 )Rounded to nearest £million. (2 )Accounts closed will include those paid in full and any legally or administratively cancelled. (3) Total collected includes payments made against fines imposed prior to April 2011. (4 )Rounded to the nearest thousand. 
		
	
	Financial penalties include amounts for fines, costs, prosecution costs, legal aid, victim surcharge, compensation and unpaid fixed penalties and penalty notices for disorder that are transferred to HMCTS for enforcement. Accounts still open include fines that are being collected by instalments, those with deductions from benefit and those which have been given time to pay.

Victim Support Schemes

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he has made in implementing his proposals for reform of services for victims and witnesses.

Crispin Blunt: Our consultation “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses” closed on 22 April. We are considering the responses we have received and will publish the Government's response in the summer.

Young Offenders: Rochdale

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young adult offenders aged 18 to 20 years from the metropolitan borough of Rochdale have been held in (a) young offender institutions, (b) local prisons, (c) women's prisons and (d) other parts of the secure estate in each month since May 2009.

Crispin Blunt: All young offenders serving sentences of DYOI are held in appropriately designated young offender institution (YOI) accommodation within the prison estate. The majority of this accommodation is in dedicated YOIs, although some establishments in the estate have a dual designation (designated both as a prison and a YOI) and hold both adult prisoners and young offenders.
	The following table shows the number of offenders aged 18 to 20-years-old from the metropolitan borough of Rochdale on a set day in each month where data are available since May 2009. The data have only been recorded centrally since May 2009 and from September 2010 are available on a bi-monthly basis.
	
		
			 Number 
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Prison function May Sept Nov Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Jan Mar 
			 (a) Young offender institutions 32 29 32 29 25 21 36 37 341 221 141 
			 (b) Local prisons 6 9 6 8 4 4 9 8 2 3 0 
			 (c) Women’s prisons 1 3 3 2 4 4 3 2 1 1 1 
			 (d) Other parts of the secure estate 0 1 0 1 5 5 4 3 5 4 3 
			 Total 39 42 41 40 38 34 52 50 52 40 28 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	Information on offenders' residences is provided by offenders on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the table above.
	If no address is given, an offender's committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. These figures are also included in the table above. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 3% of all offenders, these figures are excluded from the table above.

Young Offenders: Rochdale

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juvenile offenders from the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale have been held in a (a) secure children's home, (b) secure training centre and (c) young offender institution in each month since May 2005.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of juvenile offenders (aged 10 to 17) either sentenced or remanded in custody attached to Rochdale YOT who have been held in a (a) secure children's home, (b) secure training centre and (c) under 18 young offender institution in each month since May 2005 to March 2012.
	These data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board (YJB). The YJB only holds data at the YOT area level. YOT area data may cover more than one metropolitan borough or local authority area; however, in this case the YOT and the metropolitan borough cover the same geographical area.
	This is based upon monthly snapshot data. Therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody may be shown in more than one month in the table.
	The data from April 2011 onwards are provisional and will be finalised when the 2011-12 Youth Justice Statistics are published in 2013.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time.
	
		
			 Table 1: Young people in custody attached to Rochdale YOT by establishment type in each month since May 2005 
			  Secure children's homes Secure training centres Young offender institutions 
			 2005    
			 May 2 1 19 
			 June 2 1 18 
			 July 2 1 19 
			 August 1 1 18 
			 September 3 2 15 
			 October 4 2 16 
			 November 3 2 16 
			 December 3 0 12 
			     
			 2006    
			 January 2 0 19 
			 February 2 1 17 
			 March 0 1 15 
			 April 2 1 9 
			 May 2 0 10 
		
	
	
		
			 June 2 0 11 
			 July 1 0 14 
			 August 0 0 18 
			 September 1 0 16 
			 October 1 0 15 
			 November 2 1 19 
			 December 1 1 17 
			     
			 2007    
			 January 1 0 16 
			 February 1 0 16 
			 March 1 0 17 
			 April 1 1 18 
			 May 3 1 18 
			 June 3 0 15 
			 Jut 3 2 13 
			 August 4 2 13 
			 September 3 2 14 
			 October 2 1 15 
			 November 2 2 15 
			 December 1 1 13 
			     
			 2008    
			 January 2 0 18 
			 February 3 0 19 
			 March 2 0 17 
			 April 2 0 15 
			 May 2 0 14 
			 June 2 1 16 
			 July 1 1 17 
			 August 2 0 16 
			 September 3 0 10 
			 October 4 0 12 
			 November 4 1 12 
			 December 3 0 18 
			     
			 2009    
			 January 3 0 17 
			 February 5 0 16 
			 March 3 3 17 
			 April 2 2 12 
			 May 1 2 13 
			 June 1 2 12 
			 July 1 2 10 
			 August 2 1 8 
			 September 2 1 11 
			 October 2 1 10 
			 November 1 1 8 
			 December 2 1 9 
			     
			 2010    
			 January 1 0 11 
			 February 2 2 14 
			 March 3 2 16 
			 April 1 4 17 
			 May 2 2 17 
			 June 2 1 17 
			 July 0 2 16 
			 August 1 4 15 
			 September 1 4 19 
			 October 1 5 19 
			 November 1 1 17 
		
	
	
		
			 December 1 1 16 
			     
			 2011    
			 January 1 1 11 
			 February 2 2 12 
			 March 1 2 13 
			 April 2 2 11 
			 May 3 1 8 
			 June 1 1 12 
			 July 1 0 17 
			 August 1 0 16 
			 September 1 0 16 
			 October 1 0 12 
			 November 1 0 16 
			 December 1 0 13 
			     
			 2012    
			 January 1 0 14 
			 February 2 1 12 
			 March 2 0 11 
			 Notes: 1. YJB data referring to secure training centres (STCs), secure children's homes (SCHs), and under-18 young offender institutions (YOIs). These are based upon monthly snapshot data therefore one young person who is serving more than one month in custody will be shown in more than one month in the table. The figures from April 2011 onwards are provisional. Data from April 2011 onwards will be finalised when the 2011-12 Annual Youth Justice Statistics are published in 2013. 2. The data come from the Youth Justice Board's Secure Accommodation Clearing House System (SACHS). These figures have been drawn from administrative FT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

CABINET OFFICE

Advisory Services

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of the additional funding allocated to the devolved Administrations as consequential funding for not-for-profit free advice services in the Budget was made available to the (a) Welsh Government, (b) Scottish Government and (c) Northern Ireland Executive.

Nick Hurd: The Government will make £20 million available in 2013-14, and again in 2014-15, to support the not-for-profit advice sector as it adapts to changes in the way it is funded.
	England's share will be £16.791 million, Scotland will receive £1.679 million, Wales £0.967 million and Northern Ireland £0.563 million.

Average Earnings

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average income was of (a) full-time male, (b) full-time female, (c) part-time male and (d) part-time female workers in (i) Birmingham, Ladywood constituency, (ii) Birmingham local authority area and (iii) West Midlands region in the last 12 months.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 14 May 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average income was of (a) full-time male, (b) full-time female, (c) part-time male and (d) part-time female workers in (i) Birmingham, Ladywood constituency, (ii) Birmingham local authority area and (iii) West Midlands region in the last 12 months. (106940).
	It is not possible to provide average income estimates for the breakdowns requested but average earnings estimates are available.
	Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom.
	The following table shows median gross weekly earnings in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency, Birmingham local authority and the West Midlands in 2011.
	
		
			 Median gross weekly earnings (a)  for full-time male, full-time female, part-time male and part time female employee jobs: (i) Birmingham, Ladywood constituency, (ii) Birmingham local authority, (iii) West Midlands for April 2011 
			 £ 
			 Gross weekly earnings Birmingham, Ladywood (b) Birmingham (c) West Midlands (d) 
			 Full-time male 563.8 538.8 501.3 
			 Part-time male **121.0 *135.9 141.4 
			 Full-time female 464.7 432.7 401.2 
			 Part-time female **178.5 *156.0 152.3 
			 Notes: (a) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (b) ( )Parliamentary constituency. (c) Local authority. (d) UK region. Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. Key: CV <= 5% * CV > 5% and <= 10% ** CV > 10% and <= 20% X unreliable. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office for National Statistics.

Business

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many new (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses have been created in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the north-east and (iv) nationally in the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 14 May 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many new (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses have been created in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) nationally in the last five years.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprise births are available from 2002 onwards in the ONS release on Business Demography at
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The following table contains the latest statistics, which show the number of enterprise births by employment size band in the constituency of Jarrow, district of South Tyneside, North East region and the UK from 2006 to 2010.
	
		
			 Count of enterprise births by employment size band in the constituency of Jarrow, district of South Tyneside, North East region and the UK from 2006 to 2010 
			  Jarrow South Tyneside North East United Kingdom 
			  Small 0-49 Medium 50-249 Small 0-49 Medium 50-249 Small 0-49 Medium 50-249 Small 0-49 Medium 50-249 
			 2006 220 0 380 0 7,070 15 255,135 325 
			 2007 260 0 450 5 8,725 15 294,090 330 
			 2008 195 0 370 0 7,665 10 267,095 285 
			 2009 160 0 315 0 6,610 15 235,710 260 
			 2010 150 0 290 0 5,965 5 234,835 265 
			 Note: The above figures have been rounded to the nearest five to avoid disclosure.

Business

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed in the (a) small and (b) medium-sized business sector in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the north-east and (iv) nationally in the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 15 May 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were employed in the (a) small and (b) medium-sized business sector in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) nationally in the last five years.
	Annual statistics on the number of employees are available from the ONS release Business Register Employment Survey (BRES) at
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	However, it is not possible to derive a breakdown by employment size band from BRES. The following table contains the latest statistics available, which show the number of employees in Jarrow Constituency, South Tyneside, the North East and Great Britain between 2006 and 2010.
	
		
			 Area 2006 2007 2003 2009 2010 
			 United Kingdom n/a n/a n/a 26,921400 26,787,200 
			 Great Britain 26,355,100 26,602,200 26,989,60d 26,212,600 26,082,100 
			 North East 1,044,600 1,027,500 1,057,300 1,004,100 999,400 
			 South Tyneside 41,600 41,500 42,500 41,600 42,000 
			 Jarrow (1)23,300 (1)24.000 (1)25,900 (1)24,400 (1)25,100 
			 (1) These figures exclude farm agriculture (SIC class 0100). 
		
	
	Please note, the above employee estimates are taken from both the Annual Business Inquiry part 1 (ABI/1) and BRES. The ABI estimates relate to the periods 2006 and 2007. The BRES estimates relate to the period 2008-2010. UK based estimates are only available from 2009 onwards.

Business

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate has been made of the number of (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses operating in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) nationally.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 14 May 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what recent estimate has been made of the number of (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses operating in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) nationally.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprise actives are available from 2002 onwards in the ONS release on Business Demography at
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The following table contains the latest statistics, which show the number of active enterprises by employment size band in the constituency of Jarrow, district of South Tyneside, North East region and the UK for 2010.
	
		
			 Count of active enterprises by employment size band in the constituency of Jarrow, district of South Tyneside. North East region and the UK for 2010 
			  Small 0-49 Medium 50-249 
			 Jarrow 1.535 35 
			 South Tyneside 2.755 55 
			 North East 60.640 1.090 
			 United Kingdom 2.260.250 33.040 
			 Note: The above figures have been rounded to the nearest five, to avoid disclosure.

Charity Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to advertise for a new chair of the Charity Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: I plan to advertise for a new chair of the Charity Commission later this month, once I have received comments from the Public Administration Select Committee on the draft person specification and job description for the post. As a public appointment, the recruitment process will be conducted in line with the Code of Practice for ministerial appointments to public bodies.

Legal Aid Scheme

Anna Soubry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent discussions he has had on the allocation of the £20 million funding that his Department has provided to not-for-profit law and advice centres in 2013-14.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The Government have allocated £20 million in 2013-14, and again in 2014-15, to support the not-for-profit advice sector. Of those funds, England's share of £16.8 million each year will be used to support recommendations that arise from the Government's forthcoming review of advice services. This will be published later this year
	The Government would like to work collaboratively with the not-for-profit advice sector and I recently discussed options for allocating the funding with the sector at an event organised by Justice for All on 1 May 2012.

Public Sector

Karen Lumley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of employees in (a) Redditch and (b) the West Midlands were employed in the public sector in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 14 May 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of employees in (a) Redditch and (b) the West Midlands were employed in the public sector in each of the last five years. (106951)
	Public sector employment statistics for local areas can be calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey.
	Table 1 shows the percentage of employees who were employed in the public sector in the West Midlands Region and Redditch Parliamentary Constituency. Estimates have been provided for October 2010 to September 2011, the latest period for which data is available, and October to September of the previous four years.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk.
	
		
			 Table 1 Percentage of all employees who were employed in the public sector 
			 Percentage 
			 12 months ending: West Midlands Redditch 
			 September 2007 27 29 
			 September 2000 27 25 
			 September 2009 29 28 
			 September 2010 29 27 
			 September 2011 28 24 
			 Source: Annual Population Survey

Voluntary Organisations

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many voluntary groups there were operating in the Ashfield constituency in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office does not hold information on the number of organisations by constituency.

EDUCATION

GCSE: Mathematics

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the review of mathematics education by Carol Vorderman published in August 2011, what plans he has to reform GCSE mathematics.

Nick Gibb: We need to ensure we have world-class qualifications which are challenging, rigorous and command confidence. We have already acted to put the focus back on sound subject teaching in GCSEs by ensuring that all exams are taken at the end of the course. We will reform all GCSEs, including mathematics, alongside our review of the national curriculum, and will consider the findings from Carol Vorderman's report alongside other evidence submitted to the review.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Maintenance

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what shared care arrangements will apply to the new gross income child maintenance scheme; and whether they will apply similarly to those on the pre-2003 and post-2003 schemes.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what shared care arrangements will apply to the new gross income child maintenance scheme; and whether they will apply similarly to those on the pre-2003 and post-2003 schemes.
	The new child maintenance scheme will continue to take account of shared care so that a non-resident parent who has overnight care of their child for at least 52 nights per year will usually pay less maintenance. The shared care rules applying to the existing schemes (1991 and 2003) will remain unchanged.
	To improve the decision making process in shared care cases on the new scheme we propose to introduce two changes. These will not apply to the existing schemes:
	Firstly, an assumption of shared care in cases where parents agree in principle that there is overnight care but where there is insufficient evidence to confirm the amount of care. This includes where there is no court order or evidence of any previous pattern of care.
	The absence of firm evidence often causes difficulties for caseworkers. In such situations, the Commission will assume an amount of shared care equivalent to one night per week, resulting for most cases in a reduction of one-seventh in the maintenance due. The assumption will continue until the parents reach agreement or, if they are involved in family proceedings, an order is made by a court.
	Secondly, there will be no statutory maintenance liability where the overall care of a qualifying child is found to be shared exactly equally. This reflects our view that parents who have made an agreement about sharing care equally will often be more able to make their own family-based arrangement.

Child Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of children (a) living in poverty in each of the last 15 years and (b) projected to be living in poverty in each of the next three years.

Maria Miller: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or equivalised) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	The latest year for which data are available is 2009-10. The following table shows the number and proportion of children with income below 60% of contemporary median income, Before Housing Costs (BHC) in each of the last 15 years for which data are available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number and proportion of children falling below 60% of contemporary median income, Before Housing Costs (BHC) 
			 Publication Period Number of children in millions (and %) 
			 FRS (GB) 1995-96 3.0 (24%) 
			  1996-97 3.4 (27%) 
			  1997-98 3.4 (27%) 
			    
			 FRS (UK) 1998-99 3.4 (26%) 
			  1999-2000 3.4 (26%) 
			  2000-01 3.1 (23%) 
			  2001-02 3.0 (23%) 
			  2002-03 2.9 (23%) 
			  2003-04 2.9 (22%) 
			  2004-05 2.7(21%) 
			  2005-06 2.8 (22%) 
			  2006-07 2.9 (22%) 
			  2007-08 2.9 (23%) 
			  2008-09 2.8 (22%) 
			  2009-10 2.6 (20%) 
		
	
	(b) The Government have not produced projections of the proportion of children to be living in income poverty in each of the next three years. The new Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission will provide an assessment of child poverty using a wide range of measures, including income.
	Notes
	1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living.
	2. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes.
	3. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost rather than an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are.
	4. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response.
	5. FRS figures are for Great Britain up to 1997/98, and for the United Kingdom from 1998-99, with estimates for Northern Ireland imputed for the years 1998-99 through 2001-02. The reference period for FRS figures is single financial years.
	6. Numbers of households with children have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand children.
	7. Proportions of households with children have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.
	8. This measure is defined as:
	Relative poverty: households with children with equivalised incomes below 60% of contemporary median household income Before Housing Costs (BHC).
	9. The Child Poverty Act 2010 sets four income-based UK-wide targets to be met by 2020. The targets are based on the proportion of children living in households with relative low income, combined low income and material deprivation, absolute low income and persistent poverty.
	10. These statistics are publicly available in the Households Below Average Income Report on the DWP website:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes to the eligibility criteria for crisis loans there have been since 2010.

Steve Webb: Since 2010 the basic eligibility criteria for crisis loans have not changed. A person satisfies the conditions if they are aged 16 or over and are without sufficient resources to meet the immediate short-term needs of themselves or their family.
	Changes have however been made that affect the general conditions for an award. These are as follows:
	From 4 April 2011 awards for general living expenses, emergency travel expenses and emergency fuel meter credit were restricted to three awards in a rolling 12-month period. This rule does not apply to living expenses given for alignment to benefit purposes, or to rent in advance.
	From 4 April 2011 crisis loan awards for household items such as cookers and beds can only be made as a consequence of a disaster such as a fire or flood.
	From 4 July 2011 the period in which a decision maker may refuse to consider a repeat application that is made in exactly the same circumstances as a previous application was extended from 28 days to 12 months.

Employment and Support Allowance: Scotland

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Scotland, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Edinburgh East constituency have been receiving the assessment phase rate of employment and support allowance for (i) more than 12 months, (ii) more than 10 months, (iii) more than eight months, (iv) more than six months, (v) more than four months and (vi) more than two months.

Steve Webb: The information requested is given in the following table.
	The assessment phase of employment and support allowance is the period in which a claim is decided using the work capability assessment (WCA). This assessment phase normally lasts for three months. If it takes longer arrears of benefit will be paid where claimants are found to have limited capability for work or limited capability for work-related activity. There are a variety of reasons why people may be in the assessment phase for longer than three months, for example where the WCA cannot be completed because additional evidence is being sought, or where a claimant is appealing.
	
		
			 Claimants in the assessment phase of employment and support allowance in Scotland, Edinburgh city local authority and Edinburgh East parliamentary constituency by duration of claim—August 2011 
			  Scotland City of Edinburgh local authority Edinburgh East parliamentary constituency 
			 All 39,260 2,330 610 
			 Less than 2 months 11,080 680 200 
			 More than 2 months 28,180 1,650 410 
			 More than 4 months 19,130 1,060 260 
			 More than 6 months 14,050 720 180 
			 More than 8 months 10,080 490 120 
			 More than 10 months 7,950 360 90 
			 More than 12 months' 6,170 270 70 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Durations figures include overlaps and therefore will not sum to the overall total. 3. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 4. Phase of ESA claim is derived from payment details held on the source system. The three phases are assessment phase, work related activity phase and support group phase. 5. Parliamentary constituency of claimant (Westminster)—these constituencies are used for the Westminster Parliament. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data.

Employment Schemes

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many referrals were subcontracted by each Work programme prime contractor to (a) charities, third sector or other voluntary and community organisations and (b) private sector subcontractors (i) in total and (ii) in each month since the programme's inception; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The data requested on referrals to the Work programme that have been subcontracted are not available
	Administrative data are only held against prime providers; hence Work programme statistics are only reported against the prime contracts.
	To understand the flows of referrals within supply chains particularly to voluntary and community sector organisations (VCS) within the Work programme information was collected from each prime provider in a short one-off exercise.
	The results of this exercise are published in a document entitled “Information on Voluntary and Community Sector organisations” at:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/2011/vsc_org_within_wp.pdf
	Official statistics on referrals and attachments to the Work programme were released for the first time on 21 February 2011 and are available at the following website:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp

Employment Schemes

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many referrals were handled by each Work programme prime contractor (a) in total and (b) in each month since the programme's inception; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Official statistics on Work programme referrals and attachments are available up to the end of January 2012 and were published on 9 May 2012.
	The information requested can be found via the Tabulation Tool which is published on the Department's website:
	http://83.244.183.180/WorkProg/tabtool.html
	
		
			 Number of Work programme referrals by contract package area and contract: June 2011 to January 2012 
			   Referral month 
			    2011 2012 
			 Contract package area Contract Total June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan 
			   564,850 74,720 99,300 73,740 63,350 58,330 69,440 59,010 6,6970 
			            
			 East of England Ingeus UK Ltd 19,120 2,560 3,300 2,620 2,170 1,980 2,390 1,760 2,350 
			  Seetec 18,540 2,530 3,200 2,510 2,170 1,910 2,350 1,710 2,150 
			            
			 East Midlands A4E Ltd 16,690 2,290 2,910 2,180 1,750 1,700 2,060 1,600 2,180 
			  Ingeus UK Ltd 16,970 2,340 2,950 2,240 1,740 1,750 2,030 1,690 2,230 
			            
			 West London Ingeus UK Ltd 12,860 2,640 1,800 1,360 1,330 1,250 1,610 1,370 1,490 
			  Maximus Employment UK Ltd 12,530 2,640 1,730 1,340 1,210 1,270 1,610 1,290 1,440 
			  Reed in Partnership 12,440 2,520 1,780 1,310 1,260 1,270 1,620 1,280 1,410 
			            
			 East London A4E Ltd 16,490 2,840 2,530 1,650 1,680 1,770 2,070 1,670 2,280 
			  Careers Development Group 16,390 2,780 2,500 1,620 1,670 1,790 2,070 1,710 2,260 
			  Seetec 16,370 2,720 2,550 1,630 1,680 1,760 2,060 1,690 2,270 
			            
			 North East Avanta Enterprise Ltd 18,060 1,990 3,840 2,330 1,960 1,880 2,240 1,670 2,150 
			  Ingeus UK Ltd 17,940 1,970 3,770 2,340 1,980 1,860 2,280 1,700 2,030 
			            
			 Mersey, Halton, Cumbria, Lancashire A4E Ltd 18,470 2,560 3,340 2,580 2,150 2,060 2,370 1,510 1,910 
			  Ingeus UK Ltd 18,570 2,600 3,380 2,570 2,170 2,070 2,320 1,530 1,920 
			            
			 Manchester, Cheshire, Warrington Avanta Enterprise Ltd 12,300 1,310 2,280 1,530 1,320 1,240 1,580 1,560 1,490 
			  G4S 12,250 1,340 2,260 1,540 1,300 1,240 1,570 1,550 1,460 
			  Seetec 12,240 1,290 2,260 1,540 1,330 1,230 1,540 1,560 1,470 
			            
			 Scotland Ingeus UK LTD 29,320 5,340 4,350 3,830 3,350 2,870 3,460 2,820 3,300 
		
	
	
		
			  Working Links 29,020 5,240 4,270 3,860 3,170 2,920 3,490 2,800 3,270 
			            
			 Thames Valley, Hampshire, Isle of Wight A4E Ltd 11,430 1,850 2,050 1,610 1,310 1,210 1,250 930 1,220 
			  Maximus Employment UK Ltd 11,390 1,870 2,020 1,590 1,310 1,170 1,260 950 1,210 
			            
			 Surrey, Sussex, Kent Avanta Enterprise Ltd 13,920 2,130 2,100 1,600 1,490 1,520 1,850 1,630 1,590 
			  G4S 14,070 2,290 2,080 1,570 1,530 1,530 1,780 1,640 1,640 
			            
			 Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset Prospects Services Ltd 7,910 1,030 1,230 980 920 830 1,140 910 860 
			  Working Links 7,880 990 1,200 970 960 800 1,130 940 890 
			            
			 Gloucester, Wiltshire, Swindon, West of England Land Group Ltd 7,490 840 1,240 1,290 880 760 950 670 860 
			  Rehab JobFit 7,380 890 1,210 1,260 900 760 890 620 850 
			            
			 Wales Rehab JobFit 14,030 1,750 2,470 1,790 1,400 1,260 1,740 1,810 1,820 
			  Working Links 14,050 1,760 2,480 1,780 1,380 1,260 1,720 1,850 1,820 
			            
			 Birmingham, Solihull, Black Country EOS—Works Ltd 14,370 1,200 2,280 2,090 1,970 1,620 1,640 1,760 1,810 
			  Newcastle College Group 14,330 1,150 2,310 2,060 1,980 1,620 1,670 1,780 1,770 
			  Pertemps 14,210 1,170 2,320 2,070 1,960 1,580 1,610 1,700 1,780 
			            
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Manchester ESG 10,710 310 2,350 1,490 1,240 1,150 1,370 1,370 1,410 
			  Serco Ltd 10,880 330 2,450 1,450 1,270 1,190 1,360 1,440 1,390 
			            
			 West Yorkshire Business Employment Services 14,320 860 4,070 2,360 1,710 1,370 1,520 1,090 1,350 
			  Ingeus UK Ltd 14,440 890 4,110 2,360 1,730 1,360 1,520 1,090 1,390 
			            
			 South Yorkshire A4E Ltd 8,530 730 1,450 1,120 900 850 1,120 1,210 1,130 
			  Serco Ltd 8,480 740 1,460 1,110 880 870 1,120 1,210 1,090 
			            
			 NE Yorks, Humber G4S 9,200 1,220 1,690 1,280 1,110 900 1,000 980 1,020 
			  Newcastle College Group 9,240 1,220 1,710 1,290 1,100 870 1,060 960 1,030 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Figures are refreshed each quarter and are subject to change. Months are calendar months. 2. Referrals shown are ‘net’ referrals which do not include rejections or cancellations. 3.Contract and contract package area: The Prime Provider and their contract area where they are responsible for delivering the Work programme. Prime Providers can be responsible for delivering a number of contracts across Great Britain. 4. Figures are published on the tabulation tool: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS)

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 19 March 2012, Official Report, column 495W, on employment schemes, whether he has issued the provider guidance on publishing Work programme data; and if he will place a copy of any such guidance in the Library.

Chris Grayling: The guidance to providers on releasing Work programme performance data has not yet been finalised. DWP are still in discussions with ERSA, the trade body for employment related services, to agree the extent to which data can be shared in advance of the publication of Official Statistics in autumn 2012.

Foreign Workers

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 24 April 2012, Official Report, column 789W, on foreign workers, what the nature and value was of each of the five contracts; and what the value of the outsourced portion was in each case.

Chris Grayling: The previous answer referred to states there were five suppliers, not five contracts.

Jobseeker’s Allowance: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Ashfield constituency claim jobseeker's allowance; and how many former claimants in Ashfield constituency have found employment through the Access to Work scheme since its introduction.

Maria Miller: At March 2012 there were 2,946 claimants of jobseeker's allowance in Ashfield constituency. Since 1 April 2007(1) and up to 29 February 2012, 30 former claimants of jobseeker's allowance in Ashfield constituency have started the Access to Work scheme(2).
	(1) Access to work data are only available from 1 April 2007 onwards.
	(2) Source:
	Access to work database, 100% WPLS and NOMIS claimant count. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Materials Handling Equipment

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of deaths as a result of crane accidents in each year from 2008 and in 2012 to date.

Chris Grayling: The numbers of fatalities in all industries resulting from crane accidents are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of fatalities 
			 2007/08 2 
			 2008/09 10 
			 2009/10 3 
			 2010/11 (provisional) 2 
		
	
	The fatality statistics for 2010/11 will be finalised on 5 July 2012.
	Provisional fatality statistics for 2011/12 will be published on 5 July 2012. However, the detailed analysis required to produce specific data about fatalities involving tower cranes is not expected to be completed until November 2012.

Materials Handling Equipment

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the cost to (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) crane users of compiling the tower crane register in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012.

Chris Grayling: The cost to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2010/11 of setting up and administering the tower crane register was £175,000. The total cost to industry in the same period was estimated to be £78,000.
	The estimated cost to HSE in 2011/12 of administering the register is £21,000. The total cost to industry in 2011/12 is estimated to be £51,000.

Occupational Pensions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether representatives of the agency sector will be involved in the workplace pension reforms evaluation strategy;
	(2)  what format the workplace pension reform strategy will take; and what steps he plans to take to involve stakeholders.

Steve Webb: We are committed to a full evaluation of the impact of the workplace pension reforms. A copy of the workplace pension reform evaluation strategy can be found at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2011-2012/rrep764.pdf
	The first report based on this strategy will be published summer 2012. This will reflect the views of a range of stakeholders on the scope and approach of the evaluation strategy. These views were gathered during workshops held in March 2012, which were attended by national bodies representing the agency sector, alongside other key stakeholders including industry providers, academics and research organisations. A full list of organisations consulted will be published in the report.
	Stakeholder views will continue to be taken into account over the course of the evaluation programme.

Social Fund: Scotland

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on (a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans, (c) crisis loans items, (d) crisis loan living expenses and (e) crisis loan alignments in each region of Scotland in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; and how much he expects to allocate for each purpose in each region of Scotland in (A) 2012-13 and (B) 2013-14.

Steve Webb: The following tables provide details of the amount spent in each region of Scotland in 2009-10 and 2010-11 on each element of the discretionary social fund.
	The current scheme will continue for 2012-13. However, under the localisation agenda approximately £25 million will be allocated to Scotland in 2013-14 for the local provision that will replace community care grants and non-alignment crisis loans.
	
		
			 Table 1: Discretionary social fund spend in Scotland 2010-11 by local authority 
			 £ 
			  CCGs BLs CL items CL alignment CL living expenses 
			 Aberdeen City 426,000 1,238,000 240,000 250,000 368,000 
			 Aberdeenshire 273,000 644,000 134,000 141,000 154,000 
			 Angus 260,000 635,000 95,000 138,000 123,000 
			 Argyll and Bute 282,000 433,000 129,000 86,000 93,000 
			 Clackmannanshire 201,000 567,000 116,000 90,000 119,000 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 444,000 847,000 209,000 162,000 157,000 
			 Dundee City 756,000 1,816,000 273,000 327,000 301,000 
			 East Ayrshire 548,000 1,396,000 343,000 229,000 205,000 
			 East Dunbartonshire 166,000 428,000 92,000 77,000 80,000 
			 East Lothian 222,000 515,000 90,000 117,000 97,000 
			 East Renfrewshire 144,000 373,000 67,000 50,000 61,000 
			 Edinburgh, City of 1,294,000 3,202,000 495,000 718,000 657,000 
			 Eilean Siar 33,000 60,000 18,000 12,000 12,000 
			 Falkirk 585,000 1,179,000 236,000 219,000 260,000 
			 Fife 1,053,000 3,167,000 449,000 516,000 500,000 
			 Glasgow City 5,337,000 10,769,000 1,841,000 1,692,000 1,707,000 
			 Highland 484,000 1,040,000 236,000 241,000 260,000 
			 Inverclyde 435,000 874,000 287,000 160,000 206,000 
			 Midlothian 252,000 662,000 100,000 98,000 117,000 
			 Moray 207,000 326,000 69,000 89,000 96,000 
			 North Ayrshire 683,000 1,785,000 402,000 288,000 284,000 
			 North Lanarkshire 1,934,000 4,055,000 944,000 697,000 704,000 
			 Orkney Islands 28,000 29,000 15,000 12,000 6,000 
			 Perth and Kinross 347,000 585,000 109,000 156,000 156,000 
			 Renfrewshire 577,000 1,849,000 461,000 323,000 403,000 
			 Scottish Borders 297,000 509,000 118,000 102,000 111,000 
			 Shetland Islands 41,000 35,000 7,000 19,000 18,000 
			 South Ayrshire 429,000 885,000 209,000 178,000 147,000 
			 South Lanarkshire 1,297,000 2,835,000 562,000 493,000 497,000 
			 Stirling 249,000 465,000 93,000 106,000 108,000 
			 West Dunbartonshire 524,000 1,326,000 264,000 198,000 235,000 
			 West Lothian 644,000 1,344,000 290,000 326,000 356,000 
			 Notes: 1. Applications and awards are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Total expenditure is rounded to the nearest 100. 3. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. 4. Figures are different from the annual report as a different source has been used. 5. There are up to 15% of cases missing when the SF data source is merged with the National Benefit Database to obtain local authority the person lived in at the time of application. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Discretionary social fund spend in Scotland 2009-10 by local authority 
			 £ 
			  CCGs BLs CL items CL alignment CL living expenses 
			 Aberdeen City 415,000 1,324,000 256,000 262,000 369,000 
			 Aberdeenshire 272,000 680,000 142,000 139,000 159,000 
			 Angus 237,000 685,000 121,000 136,000 154,000 
			 Argyll and Bute 268,000 471,000 115,000 109,000 119,000 
			 Clackmannanshire 176,000 595,000 113,000 101,000 133,000 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 385,000 963,000 178,000 179,000 179,000 
			 Dundee City 809,000 2,044,000 342,000 367,000 387,000 
			 East Ayrshire 565,000 1,609,000 363,000 248,000 271,000 
			 East Dunbartonshire 155,000 471,000 84,000 76,000 80,000 
			 East Lothian 218,000 598,000 103,000 133,000 136,000 
			 East Renfrewshire 141,000 427,000 77,000 57,000 71,000 
			 Edinburgh, City of 1,282,000 3,595,000 591,000 800,000 801,000 
			 Eilean Siar 54,000 84,000 21,000 15,000 10,000 
			 Falkirk 505,000 1,278,000 260,000 220,000 280,000 
			 Fife 1,037,000 3,517,000 519,000 534,000 542,000 
			 Glasgow City 5,372,000 12,073,000 2,095,000 1,795,000 1,900,000 
			 Highland 451,000 1,148,000 202,000 255,000 276,000 
			 Inverclyde 457,000 1,002,000 295,000 180,000 288,000 
			 Midlothian 237,000 659,000 118,000 124,000 137,000 
			 Moray 152,000 345,000 61,000 83,000 100,000 
			 North Ayrshire 695,000 2,058,000 392,000 290,000 368,000 
			 North Lanarkshire 1,865,000 4,467,000 1,084,000 663,000 868,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Orkney Islands 27,000 41,000 6,000 7,000 6,000 
			 Perth and Kinross 366,000 627,000 123,000 144,000 168,000 
			 Renfrewshire 582,000 2,063,000 494,000 334,000 485,000 
			 Scottish Borders 270,000 517,000 107,000 100,000 109,000 
			 Shetland Islands 47,000 37,000 10,000 16,000 18,000 
			 South Ayrshire 449,000 1,024,000 211,000 174,000 168,000 
			 South Lanarkshire 1,249,000 3,092,000 654,000 510,000 572,000 
			 Stirling 241,000 533,000 100,000 108,000 126,000 
			 West Dunbartonshire 484,000 1,513,000 247,000 212,000 284,000 
			 West Lothian 719,000 1,522,010 350,000 379,000 433,000 
			 Notes: 1. Applications and awards are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Total expenditure is rounded to the nearest 100. 3. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. 4. Figures are different from the annual report as a different source has been used.

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons warning letters sent to benefit claimants who may be affected by the introduction of the benefit cap do not state how much the household is likely to lose as a result of the cap; and if he will make it his policy that such information should be included.

Chris Grayling: The intention of the direct mail letters is to give all claimants, who may be affected by the cap, as much notice and support as possible to help them change their circumstances before the cap is implemented. The letters will not state the actual financial impact for the household as their circumstances could change before the cap is implemented in April 2013. A benefit cap helpline has been set up to provide claimants with information and signpost them to support, based on their individual need.

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners that would leave the UK each year if pensions were unfrozen for pensioners living abroad permanently.

Steve Webb: There is insufficient evidence on which to base a reliable estimate.

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the findings of the report by Oxford Economics entitled “Uprating Frozen-Rate Pensions”.

Steve Webb: I note that the report concludes that uprating all pensions paid overseas would incur additional costs, which would need to be borne by the UK taxpayer.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy that all telephone numbers which claimants have to call to claim universal credit or to discuss their claim are free to call from a landline and cheap or free to call from a mobile telephone; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Department is currently reviewing its telephony numbering policy in conjunction with Ofcom, and this includes the use of 0845 telephone numbers.
	The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) current strategy is that calls to claim benefit or request emergency payments should be free, so it uses 0800 free phone numbers for these calls.
	The Department currently uses 0845 telephone numbers when claimants call for other reasons, and these are calls that typically take less time to resolve. The charges that apply to these calls will be set by the customer's telephone or mobile operator.
	DWP currently has an agreement with eight of the UK's main mobile phone operators that calls to DWP 0800 numbers are free. If we migrated all of our 0845 telephone numbers over to 0800, it is unlikely that mobile phone operators would agree to extend the agreement to cover the increase.
	We are aware of the financial difficulties that this can cause some people and so, when someone asks us or raises concern over the cost of a call, we will offer to call them back. The Department also provides “Customer Access Phones” in a large number of its Jobcentre Plus offices, where people can make benefit claims or pursue job applications, and they do not have to pay when using these facilities.
	We also encourage claimants to use online facilities as an alternative to calling our 0800 and 0845 services.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what legal advice his Department has received on the compliance with GATT rules of differentiating subsidy support for biomass feedstocks sourced domestically and internationally.

Charles Hendry: The Wood Panel Industries Federation (WPIF) provided the Department with a copy of a legal opinion they had commissioned on this issue. The Department's own legal advice is confidential and the subject of legal professional privilege.

Carbon Emissions: Public Buildings

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the level of carbon emissions from publicly owned buildings in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) January to April 2012.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 November 2011, Official Report, column 312W.

Departmental Staff: Political Affiliation

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) job title and (b) pay band was of each official, excluding special advisers, recruited by his Department since May 2010 who previously held an elected position as a member of the (i) Conservative party and (ii) Liberal Democrat party; and whether their position was advertised publicly.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) does not hold details of the previous employment of its staff on a central database. Searching individual records to find this information would incur disproportionate costs.

Environment Protection: International Assistance

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to ensure that the UN initiative on Sustainable Energy for All is a priority for the G20 Clean Energy Ministerial.

Gregory Barker: The Department hosted the third Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) on 25-26 April 2012, which included a number of important links with the United Nations Secretary-General's initiative on Sustainable Energy for All (SE4A11).
	With UK support the SE4A11 High Level Group met on 24 April, the day before the CEM, allowing a number of participants to attend both meetings.
	The UN Secretary-General participated by audio link at the CEM. The Co-Chairs of the SE4A11 High Level Group also attended the CEM and they and the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), who is the UK Government lead for SE4A11, participated in a joint CEM-SE4A11 press conference, which included announcements of a number of initiatives focusing on energy access and clean energy deployment in developing countries.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer of 30 April 2012, Official Report, column 1221W, on the Green Deal scheme, what the salary band is of each employee working on the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The salary ranges of staff working on the Green Deal can be found through the following link:
	http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?dept=decc&post=1
	These staff numbers are correct as of 30 September 2011.

Pets

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department provides food and facilities for animals owned by Ministers in a personal capacity; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not provide food or facilities for animals owned by Ministers in a personal capacity.

Sick Leave

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many days of sick leave were taken by staff in his Department in each of the last three years.

Gregory Barker: The number of days of sick leave taken by staff in the Department of Energy and Climate Change in each of the last three years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Period Number of days 
			 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 3,667 
			 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 4,263 
			 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 4,786 
		
	
	This reflects an increase in the number of staff over the period. The average working days lost (AWDL) per member of staff employed has decreased as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Period AWDL 
			 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 4.4 
			 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 3.6 
			 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 3.6

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many black people aged 16 to 24 years gained a place on an apprenticeship scheme for each occupation type in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and how many of those people secured a permanent job after completing the apprenticeship.

John Hayes: Final data showing the number of apprenticeship programme starts by ethnicity, age and sector subject area in the 2010/11 academic year, the latest period for which final data are available, will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Information on the employment status of ethnic minority learners after completing an apprenticeship framework is not available.
	The Department (with the National Apprenticeship Service) undertakes surveys of apprentices which ask about their employment outcomes. A recent survey (May 2012) shows that 85% of apprenticeship completers (those who completed their apprenticeship in the last 12 months) were employed by an employer at the time of the survey with a further 4% being self-employed. This gives a total of 89% in employment at the time of the survey.
	A previous survey commissioned by the former Learning and Skills Council(1 )looked at the employment status of individuals at the time of the interview (December 2008/January 2009), by when they completed their apprenticeship, going back to 2003/04. The results are very similar.
	(1) The Benefits of Completing an Apprenticeship LSC 2009.

Apprentices: Reading (Berkshire)

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in Reading West constituency employ at least one apprentice.

John Hayes: Information is not available on the number of businesses employing apprentices at the constituency level. In West Berkshire local authority there were 530 workplaces with at least one apprentice in-learning in the 2010/11 academic year.
	The number of employers is recorded at the site (workplace) level which means some large organisations can be counted more than once.
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 29 March 2012:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	Further breakdowns are available in SFR supplementary tables:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/

BRIC Countries

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with officials in the Government of (i) India, (ii) China and (iii) Brazil in the last 12 months.

Mark Prisk: Ministers from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) meet their counterparts in India, China and Brazil during regular high level meetings under initiatives such as the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, and during inward and outward visits. BIS officials based in the UK and overseas meet representatives of these countries on a daily basis. These interactions occur in a wide variety of circumstances and it is therefore not possible accurately to assess the number of meetings that have taken place in the last 12 months.
	An overview of BIS ministerial interactions can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff

BRIC Countries

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many meetings officials in his Department have had with businesses from (a) India, (b) China and (c) Brazil seeking to invest in the UK in the last 12 months.

Mark Prisk: Officials from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) regularly meet representatives from businesses in India, China and Brazil, seeking to invest in the UK. One of the key functions of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is to meet, and provide assistance to, companies looking to invest in the UK. Given the frequency of these meetings it is not possible to accurately assess their number over a 12-month period.

BRIC Countries

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many meetings officials in his Department have had with businesses seeking to export to (a) India, (b) China and (c) Brazil in the last 12 months.

Mark Prisk: Officials from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) meet representatives from UK business seeking to do business in India, China and Brazil regularly. One of the key functions of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is to meet, and provide assistance to, UK companies looking to expand into overseas markets. Given the frequency of these meetings it is not possible to accurately assess their number over a 12 month period.

BRIC Countries

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many visits have been made to (a) India, (b) China and (c) Brazil by Ministers in his Department in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Prisk: Ministers from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills make regular visits to India, Chain and Brazil given these markets’ increasing importance to the global economy. Full records are not available for the 10-year period in question.
	An overview of BIS ministerial interactions can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff

Certification Officer

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total cost was of the Certification Office in each of the last five years; and what the total remuneration was of the Certification Officer in each such year.

Norman Lamb: The total cost of the Certification Office and the total remuneration for the Certification Officer in each of the last five years is available in the Certification Officer's Annual report for those years. The reports can be accessed from the Certification Officer's website at:
	http://www.certoffice.org/Publications/Annual-Reports.aspx

Certification Officer

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints were received by the Certification Officer about trade unions in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The total number of complaints received by the Certification Officer about trade unions in each of the last five years is available in the Certification Officer's annual report for those years. The reports can be accessed from the Certification Officer's website at:
	http://www.certoffice.org/Publications/Annual-Reports.aspx

Community Interest Companies: Lancashire

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library a list of current community interest companies registered in Lancashire.

Norman Lamb: Companies House has prepared a list of 270 companies which it believes are registered in Lancashire and this will be placed in the Libraries of the House. However, this list is not definitive as Companies House's data are extracted primarily from postcode areas, which can cross county boundaries.

Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) grants and (b) contracts his Department has awarded to companies or organisations run by individuals who previously held an elected position as a member of the (i) Conservative party and (ii) Liberal Democrat party since May 2010; what the (A) value and (B) nature was of these contracts; and whether they were publicly advertised.

Norman Lamb: We do not request this type of information as part of our (a) grant award and (b) contract award processes and as a consequence the Department does not hold this information.

Exports

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of British exports was in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; and what estimate he has made of the value of such exports in 2012-13.

Mark Prisk: Figures for the UK's exports of goods and services (in current prices) by financial year are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ billion 
			 2009-10 401 
			 2010-11 457 
			 2011-12(1) 490 
			 (1) Based on actual figures for Q2-4 2011 and OBR estimates for Q1 2012 Source: ONS Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics OBR Economic and Fiscal Outlook March 2012 
		
	
	The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has estimated that the UK's exports of goods and services in 2012-13 will amount to £515 billion.

Fisheries: Compensation

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been paid under all compensation schemes for distant water trawlermen; and how much has been paid to trawlermen from Hull.

Norman Lamb: Over £60 million has been paid under all compensation schemes for distant water trawlermen. The information on how much has been paid to trawlermen from Hull is held on separate databases and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Green Investment Bank

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 30 April 2012, Official Report, column 1254W, on the Green Investment Bank, which stages remain to be completed in the state aid application for the Green Investment Bank; and when his Department expects these stages to be completed.

Mark Prisk: Officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills remain engaged in detailed discussions with the European Commission about our proposal to create the Green Investment Bank. The Commission has examined the UK's proposals, as outlined in draft notification documents provided on 30 November 2011, and is providing ongoing feedback which should enable the state aid submission to be formally notified shortly. Once the proposals are formally notified, the Commission will have two months in which to decide whether to approve the proposed state aid as compatible with the EU treaty or to open a full investigation procedure.

Green Investment Bank: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Welsh Government on locating in Wales any functions of the Green Investment Bank.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has not had any discussions with Ministers in the Welsh Government on locating functions of the Green Investment Bank in Wales.

Higher Education: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will list the meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) RBS, (ii) Santander, (iii) Lloyds Banking Group, (iv) other banks and (v) hedge funds on changes in university funding since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: I have attended a number of events with banking groups relating to our higher education reforms. A list of Ministers' meetings can be found on the website of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff
	I met Barclays in November 2010 to discuss professional and career development loans and on 24 May 2011 I met Santander Universities representatives to discuss student loans.
	Officials from Student Finance met with Santander on 13 June and Citibank on 24 November 2011.
	Officials from Student Finance and Research held discussions with Barclays Bank in February 2012 about postgraduate finance.

Higher Education: Mathematics

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the proportion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees that require further mathematics for entry.

David Willetts: The information is not held centrally.

Higher Education: Private Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will list the meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with commercial universities (i) in total and (ii) in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: I meet regularly with providers of higher education including for-profit institutions. A quarterly-updated list of all Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) ministerial meetings with external organisations is available at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/disclosure-ministerial-hospitality-received-department-for-business
	BIS officials will also have had meetings with a range of higher education providers, but a comprehensive record of these is not maintained.

Higher Education: Standards

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how often performance indicators of designated higher education providers will be assessed as part of his Department's recently introduced due diligence checks.

David Willetts: The Government are currently considering how best to monitor higher education providers with specifically designated courses in the future.
	The Higher Education White Paper and the associated Technical Consultation document set out the Government's intention that all providers that access student support funding will, in future, be subject to the same standards for financial sustainability.
	Further details on how these proposals will be taken forward, including possible legislative options, will be announced shortly.

Higher Education: Student Numbers

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 19 March 2012, Official Report, column 518W, on higher education: student numbers, for what reason he collects such data for institutions that are subject to the student numbers cap but not for those that can recruit without the constraints of a quota.

David Willetts: Institutions in receipt of grant funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) are required to submit data to the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) as a condition of that funding. These arrangements have been in place since HESA was established in 1993. The condition to submit data to HESA is not placed on institutions not funded by HEFCE. It is one of the anomalies that our regulatory reforms, announced in the Higher Education White Paper “Students at the Heart of the System”, are intended to address.

Departmental Staff

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many jobs formerly in his Department and its agencies and non-departmental bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.

Norman Lamb: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has not transferred any jobs to the private sector in 2011/12. I have asked chief executives of the Executive agencies to respond directly to the right hon. Member. This information is not held by BIS in respect of non-departmental public bodies.
	Letter from Tim Knighton, dated 11 May 2012
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 10 May 2012, UIN 107080 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House did not transfer any jobs to the private sector in 2010/11.
	Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 11 May 2012
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how many jobs formerly in his Department and its agencies and non-departmental bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.
	The Insolvency Service has not transferred any jobs to the private sector in 2011-12.
	Letter from John Alty, dated 10 May 2012
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 10 May 2012, to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The IPO has not transferred any jobs to the private sector in 2011-12.
	Letter from Peter Mason, dated 11 May 2012
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 10 May 2012, asking the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many jobs formerly in his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.
	NMO did not transfer any jobs to the private sector in 2011-12.
	Letter from Francis Twambley, dated 11 May 2012
	I write in response to the Parliamentary Question which you tabled on 10 May 2012.
	Land Registry is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and I can confirm that no posts were transferred from our agency to the private sector during 2011-12.
	Letter from John Hirst, dated 14 May 2012
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 10 May 2012, UIN 107080 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	During 2011-12, no jobs were transferred from the Met Office to the private sector.
	I hope this helps.
	Letter from Vanessa Lawrence, dated 11 May 2012
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to contact you in response to your parliamentary question asking how many jobs in the Department for Business, innovation and Skills (BIS) and its agencies and non-departmental bodies for which BIS are responsible were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.
	Ordnance Survey constantly reviews its operations in order to ensure it is delivering best value for money for the taxpayer. This includes considering outsourcing operations to the private sector where doing so would deliver clear benefits. In 2011-12 15 jobs were transferred to the private sector, however, this figure was also included in the 53 jobs transferred to the private sector in 2010-11, referred to in my response of 30 January 2012 to your Parliamentary Question 2010/8686.
	Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 15 May 2012
	Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many jobs formerly in his Department and its agencies and non-departmental bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12.
	Please be advised that the Skills Funding Agency (the Agency) only had one transfer to the Private Sector in 2011/12 involving a member of staff working in St Albans on office maintenance who transferred to the Agency's new provider of the Total Facilities Management Contract.
	Letter from David Williams, dated 11 May 2012
	Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills asking how many jobs formerly in his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies were transferred to the private sector in 2011-12. (107080)
	The UK Space Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has not transferred any jobs to the private sector during the period 2011-12.

New Businesses: Graduates

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support graduate entrepreneurship (a) in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency, (b) in the west midlands and (c) nationally.

Mark Prisk: The Government are funding the National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs to build a self-sustainable business model that will support the creation of student enterprise societies in every university and most colleges by 2015. The societies work to drive the growth of entrepreneurship in higher and further education, raising awareness of enterprise as a potential career choice and providing advice and support to students and graduates as they start up in business. Within the west midlands, societies have been established, or are planned, within a number of universities and colleges, including those in the Birmingham area.
	Government funding is also being provided to the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education as it builds a sustainable infrastructure to enable higher and further education institutions to better support entrepreneurship. Activities include the provision of an Entrepreneurial University Leadership programme to improve the capability of university leaders to deliver entrepreneurial training, thereby encouraging more graduates into self-employment.
	Those graduates entering into self-employment will also be encouraged through support under the Budget 2012 announcement, which made available £10 million in 2012/13 for a programme of enterprise loans to help young people set up and grow their own businesses.

Parental Leave

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on maternal and infant health effects of the proposals to change maternity, paternity and parental leave and pay contained in the Modern Workplaces consultation.

Norman Lamb: BIS officials spoke with the Department of Health before the publication of the Modern Workplaces consultation. The main focus of their discussions was based on the impact on maternal health and breast feeding issues. Department of Health were content with proposals in the consultation.

Patents: EU Action

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the status is of negotiations on the European Unitary Patent; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Government support the creation of a European patent system that will bring real benefits for businesses, consumers and the economy. The current proposals include creating a single unitary patent and a unified patent court which would deal with the unitary patent and existing European patents.
	The regulations establishing the unitary patent are currently under consideration by the European Parliament and we understand that a date for a plenary debate has not yet been set.
	Negotiations on the intergovernmental agreement creating the patent court are still ongoing. The Government have put forward a strong case for the UK to host the seat of the central division of the patent court and we are working hard to ensure that the details of the proposals deliver the most effective arrangements for UK business and their representatives who will use the courts.

Regional Growth Fund

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the Independent Advisory Panel on the Regional Growth Fund provides recommendations of funding levels to be approved and conditionality that should be applied when presenting its advice to Ministers.

Mark Prisk: The Independent Advisory Panel's (IAP) remit is to advise Ministers on which Regional Growth Fund (RGF) bids to support. There are some cases where the IAP has advised the ministerial group on projects where the same benefits could be provided with reduced RGF funding or specific conditions.
	The recent National Audit Office report identified that the right projects were chosen that offer better returns, in the right places and there was no bias in the Ministers' decision making.

Regional Growth Fund

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to paragraph 3.15 page 34 of the National Audit Office report on the Regional Growth Fund, whether he expects to retain the £10 million expected underspend on the Regional Growth Fund in 2011-12 for use in 2012-13.

Mark Prisk: Yes, the £10 million underspend will be managed through budget exchange by the funding Departments.

Students: Loans

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 18 April 2012, Official Report, column 386W, on loans for further education, what provisions will be included in the regulations required to introduce loans for further education students.

John Hayes: The regulations to introduce loans in further education for those aged 24 and over undertaking courses at Level 3 and above are currently being drafted, and will be laid in Parliament in the summer.
	It is intended that the regulations will contain provisions relating to the eligibility of both people and courses for loans as well as provisions relating to loan applications and payments.

Students: Loans

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills under what legislation he plans to introduce the regulations providing for loans for further education students.

John Hayes: The regulations will be made under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998.